The PACCHERI CAKE is a rich, show-stopping dish from Italian cuisine, perfect for special occasions. It is a kind of timballo in which the paccheri are placed vertically inside a baking pan and stuffed with a tasty filling. The combination of pasta, creamy filling and béchamel makes every bite irresistible.
With just a few simple moves you can bring to the table and share with guests the satisfying flavor and irresistible aroma of this baked stuffed pasta. The paccheri cake is perfect to serve as a one-dish meal or as a first course for a festive lunch.
Its goodness lies in the perfectly balanced contrasts of its ingredients: the sweetness of the leek and the savory notes of speck, the creaminess of the ricotta filling and the crispness of the pacchero, cooked al dente and finished in the oven.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 24 paccheri
- 1 1/2 cups sheep ricotta (drained)
- 2 leeks
- 3.5 oz speck (one whole slice)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 2 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- to taste salt
- to taste nutmeg
For the paccheri cake you will need
- 1 Pot
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Pan 7 in
- Baking paper
- 1 Piping bag
Preparation of the paccheri cake
Wash and trim the leeks. Slice them into rounds and let them soften in a pan with a drizzle of oil over low heat for 10 minutes. If they start to brown too much, add a little water. Season with salt and pepper and cook through. Once ready, let them cool and reserve some for decoration.
In the food processor put the ricotta, 3 oz of speck, the sautéed leek, the egg, the Parmesan, salt, pepper and blend everything until you obtain a smooth cream.Cook the paccheri in plenty of salted water, keeping them al dente. Then drain them, add a drizzle of oil, toss and let them cool.
Carefully separate them from each other and discard any broken ones.
Line a 7-inch springform pan with baking paper.
Fill the paccheri using the cream placed into a piping bag and arrange them standing upright, side by side, inside the pan.Heat the milk with a pinch of salt. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and, stirring with a whisk, toast it briefly. Add the hot milk, a grating of nutmeg and cook, stirring continuously, until the béchamel sauce has thickened.
Sprinkle with the béchamel and the remaining Parmesan.Bake in a preheated conventional oven at 356°F for about 30 minutes. If the top tends to brown too much, protect the paccheri cake with a sheet of aluminum foil.
Once ready, remove from the oven, let it cool slightly and carefully transfer it to a serving plate. Serve with extra stewed leeks and crispy speck.
Tip
If you want to freeze the paccheri cake, assemble it but do not bake it. Wrap it well with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you want to bake it, put it directly in the oven at 338°F for about 40-45 minutes, covering with foil for the first 20 minutes.
