The creamy baked pasta is one of those classic Sunday dishes that bring everyone together: fragrant, rich and with that irresistible crust that wins you over at the first bite.
This version is designed to be easy and accessible to everyone, even if you don’t have much kitchen experience. You can prepare the sauce in the Monsieur Cuisine Smart (or on the stove), while the béchamel and pasta are handled separately, so you have everything under control without complicating your life.
In this version I’ll show you how to prepare it simply, with a balanced sauce and a béchamel that binds everything without weighing it down.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Cooking time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Cooking with kitchen robot, Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups tomato passata
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 carrot
- 1/2 onion
- 1 clove garlic (optional)
- 1 2/3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- a few basil leaves
- 14 oz short pasta
- prepared sauce
- 5.3 oz mozzarella (well drained)
- to taste Parmigiano Reggiano PDO
- 1 3/4 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk (about)
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste nutmeg
Tools
- 1 Kitchen robot Monsieur Cuisine Smart
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Pot
- 1 Colander
- 1 Baking pan
- 1 Baking paper
- 1 Spoon large
- 1 Knife
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Scale
- 1 Funnel Steam diverter (optional)
Steps
In the Monsieur Cuisine Smart
Put the onion, carrot and celery in the bowl in pieces and chop them. You don’t need to be precise: they just need to become small. Use the Custom option 5–10 sec / speed 5.
Add the oil and the whole garlic clove and sauté using the Sauté option 3 min / 248 °F / speed 1.
Pour in the passata, season with salt and pepper, then cook 18–20 min / 212 °F / speed 2 with a steam diverter or with the measuring cap tilted.
Add the basil in the last minutes.
If it seems too thin, extend cooking by 5 minutes without the cap.On the stove
Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery.
In a wide pan or saucepan, sauté the vegetables with oil and garlic until they become fragrant and slightly golden.
Pour in the passata, add salt and pepper and let simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally.
At the end of cooking add basil.
The trick is to cook until the sauce has slightly thickened; it should coat the pasta without drowning it.Meanwhile, cut the mozzarella into cubes and let it drain well.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta.
Here pay attention to one important thing: drain it before it’s fully done, when it’s still a bit firm.
It will finish cooking in the oven and thus won’t become mushy.
.. or use a ready-made one, but I promise it takes just a moment to make! If you want the full recipe or the video click HERE or follow the instructions below.
Put the butter in a small saucepan and melt it over medium heat, without letting it brown.
When it is completely melted, add the flour all at once and whisk immediately.
Continue to stir for about 1 minute: the mixture must become smooth and slightly foamy, but must not darken. This mixture is called a roux.
Pour the milk into the roux little by little, stirring continuously with the whisk after each addition.
At first it will look thick, then it will gradually loosen and become a smooth cream.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and continue to stir over medium-low heat.
Within a few minutes the béchamel will start to thicken.
Adjust with salt, pepper and scent with a grating of nutmeg.
When it reaches the desired consistency, turn off the heat.
Once ready, remove from the heat and the béchamel is immediately ready to be used to dress pasta, vegetables or any other dish that requires this basic sauce.
Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, then add the sauce.
Mix well: it should be well coated but not overloaded.
Take a baking dish, line it with baking paper (HERE I show my method to line baking paper without going crazy) and start like this:
– one layer of pasta
– a few tablespoons of béchamel
– some mozzarella
– a sprinkle of grated Parmigiano
You don’t need to cover everything perfectly: distribute the ingredients simply.
Repeat with another layer.
Put in a preheated oven at 356 °F for 25–30 minutes and bake until a nice crust forms on top.
If you want a more golden effect, turn on the broiler for the last 5 minutes to get a delicious crust.
When you take it out of the oven, let it rest a few minutes.
I know, you want to eat it right away… but waiting a little:
– it firms up
– it slices better
– it’s even tastier
Useful tips
Well-drained mozzarella ensures a dry and stringy result.
Don’t overdo the béchamel: it should only complement.
Storage
In the fridge:
You can store cooked baked pasta in an airtight container for 1–2 days.
To serve, reheat in the oven or microwave until hot and stringy.
In the freezer:
Baked pasta can be frozen both raw and cooked.
Raw: assemble it in the baking dish, cover well with plastic wrap and freeze. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
Cooked: let it cool completely, put it in an airtight container or wrap it well, and freeze. Reheat in the oven at 320–338 °F covered with aluminum foil until hot.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What if it seems dry?
Next time add a bit more sauce or béchamel.
What if it’s too watery?
Probably there is too much sauce, or the mozzarella wasn’t drained, or there is too much béchamel.
This is the perfect baked pasta even for first-timers. It’s simple, stress-free and gives you a satisfying result.
Once you make it the first time, you’ll see it becomes one of those dishes you prepare almost with your eyes closed.
And you, how do you prepare it? Let me know in the comments!
