Paccheri are a pasta shape particularly suitable for baking: you can either dress them all together or stand them upright, creating a neater effect and more even cooking.
In this recipe I prepare them exactly like that, arranged side by side and dressed with a minced meat ragù and peas, simple but full of flavor.
It’s a dish that requires some attention during preparation, but the result is hearty, well balanced and perfect for a family lunch or when you have guests.
Here’s how to make oven-baked paccheri with ragù.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 3 Hours
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients
- 14 oz mixed ground meat
- 25 oz peeled tomatoes
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 stalk celery stalk
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- to taste salt
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/4 cups peas
- 18 oz paccheri
- to taste coarse salt
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
Steps
Oven-baked paccheri with ragù aren’t a last-minute recipe: they require time and a bit of patience. But if you organize ahead and split the preparations, everything becomes much simpler.
First prepare the ragù, which you can also make in advance, the day before.
Clean and finely chop the onion, carrot and celery, then sauté them in a saucepan with the oil for a few minutes until softened. Add the ground meat and brown it well.
When the meat changes color, deglaze with the wine and let it evaporate. Add the peas, stir and let them infuse for a few minutes, then add the crushed peeled tomatoes and season with salt.
Let it simmer over low heat for at least 2 and a half hours, preferably 3, stirring occasionally.Put a pot of plenty of salted water on the heat and bring to a boil.
Cook the paccheri for about 3 minutes: they must remain very al dente because they will finish cooking in the oven. Drain them and quickly run them under cold water to stop the cooking and make them easier to handle without breaking.
Place them in a large bowl and toss with a little oil to prevent them from sticking together.
Take a baking dish and spread a ladle of ragù on the bottom: this will also help keep the paccheri steady.
Arrange the paccheri upright, side by side, filling the entire dish. With a spoon, stuff each pacchero with the ragù. Set aside a little sauce for the top so they don’t dry out in the oven.
Spread a little ragù over the surface as well and finish with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan.
Bake at 356°F for about 25 minutes, until a light crust forms.
At the end of cooking, let rest a few minutes before serving.
Storage
Oven-baked paccheri keep in the refrigerator for 2–3 days, well sealed in an airtight container.
To keep them soft, store them with their sauce. When serving, reheat them in the oven covered with aluminum foil, adding a few tablespoons of water or sauce if needed to prevent them from drying out.
If you have leftovers, you can also freeze them cooked: it’s better to portion them and keep them with the sauce. Let them thaw slowly in the refrigerator and then reheat in the oven.
Notes and tips
You can prepare the ragù the day before: resting helps develop the flavor better and allows you to organize the work more calmly.
Do not overcook the paccheri: they must remain very al dente because they will finish cooking in the oven.
When arranging them in the dish, always add a little sauce on the bottom: it helps keep them in place and prevents sticking.
For a more gratinated surface, be slightly generous with the Parmesan in the last minutes of cooking.
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
Can I prepare the baked paccheri in advance?
Yes, you can assemble the dish in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Before baking, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
Can I freeze the raw assembled dish?
Yes, you can freeze the paccheri already assembled but not yet cooked. Cover the dish well with plastic wrap or foil and put it in the freezer.
When you want to use it, let it thaw slowly in the refrigerator and then bake it in the oven as per the recipe. If you bake it still cold, allow a few extra minutes of cooking.Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes, but the result will change: paccheri are ideal because they hold the filling well. Alternatively you can use large rigatoni or tortiglioni. In that case there’s no need to stand them upright.
Are the peas mandatory?
No, you can omit them if you prefer a simpler ragù. The dish will still be balanced.
How to prevent the paccheri from drying out in the oven?
Always add a bit of sauce both on the bottom and on the surface and avoid prolonging the cooking time too much.
Can I make baked paccheri without meat or in a vegan version?
Yes, you can replace the ragù with a vegetable-only sauce or a plant-based ragù made from tofu or legumes. In that case, for gratinating you can use plant-based alternatives to Parmesan or omit it.
Can I cook them in an air fryer?
Yes, but with some precautions. Use a suitable pan and cook at 356°F for about 15–20 minutes. Check the cooking and, if necessary, cover with a sheet of foil to prevent the surface from drying out too much.
