We had these quick gratin tagliatelle for lunch yesterday, decided on the spot.
And I hadn’t planned to publish the recipe at all!
Then, given the enthusiasm with which my husband and kids welcomed the dish at the table, since everyone here loves anything that’s oven-baked… well… here I am with the recipe after all.
It’s a simple recipe, but no less enjoyable for that. 😉
And then, come on, I’ll say it… since today is my birthday… 😊 maybe I’ll make them again today! As a sort of festive day dish… it’s perfect, and the cheese stash bought in Livigno is waiting to be melted in the oven.
So… are you ready? 😊
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 14 oz egg tagliatelle (dried (*))
- vegetable ragù (details in the procedure)
- 7 oz soft cheese (I used Valtellina Scimudin (**))
- grated Parmesan (to taste)
Tools
- Baking Dish
- Pan
- Chopper
Steps
Prepare the vegetable ragù.
My vegetable ragù is never the same, I use whatever vegetables I have available. The base is obviously carrot, celery, and onion, but I often add other vegetables, usually a piece of zucchini or, more often, fennel stalks (never throw them away!), as I did this time.
So, prepare the vegetable ragù this way:
– Put 1 large carrot, 1 celery stalk, the stalks of one fennel (if they are short, it’s better to use those of a second fennel as well), half an onion, or a whole one if it’s small, in the food processor and chop everything. Chop coarsely, the ragù should be coarse.
– Sauté the chopped vegetables for a few minutes in a pan, large enough to toss the tagliatelle later, with 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then add the tomato puree (at least 14 oz).
– Cook the vegetable ragù covered for 15-20 minutes.While the ragù is cooking, bring the water to a boil and when it boils, throw in the tagliatelle.
Oh, and of course, in the meantime, turn on the oven.
Drain the tagliatelle al dente (4-5 minutes of cooking, no more, check the cooking times on the package) and quickly toss them in the vegetable ragù pan. If necessary, add a dash of oil, tagliatelle absorb, you know.
Place part of the seasoned tagliatelle on the bottom of a baking dish, cover them with half of the cheese cut into pieces, and a sprinkle of grated parmesan. Add the remaining tagliatelle and finish with the cheese and a nice cover of parmesan.
Bake (for the temperature… well, since we’re in a hurry, go for the highest temperature possible) and gratinate, for 10-15 minutes, just enough to melt the cheese, but decide how much crust you want, I determine the right time from when I start smelling the aroma coming from the oven 😉
Here are my gratin tagliatelle, before and after the oven:
Enjoy your meal!!!!
😀
(*) If you prefer to make the tagliatelle with your hands HERE you can find the egg pasta recipe (for 4 people I recommend a sheet of 2 eggs). Naturally, the cooking times will need to be adjusted, homemade fresh pasta should be cooked briefly, mind you. 😉
(**) Scimudin is a typical Valtellina soft cheese, it’s soft, creamy, melts very well, so it’s ideal for use in cooking. You can replace it with a caciotta, a soft formaggella, a latteria cheese, or even brie if needed. 🙂
Salt-Free Tips
If you don’t know it already, I cook without salt. And I assure you that a good melted cheese adds a lot of flavor, even if there is no salt in the pasta water and none in the ragù either. 😉
If you’re interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Gradually decrease the salt, the palate needs to get used to it slowly and should not notice the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices. Chili, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruit. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granular and the gomasio.
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking that does not disperse flavors (grill, foil, steam, microwave).
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Allow yourself occasionally a break from the rule. It’s good for mood and helps to persevere.
If you don’t want or can’t give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes by salting according to your habits.
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On my Facebook page, on my Pinterest boards, in my two groups: Catia’s group, in the kitchen and beyond and Just what I was looking for! and if you like… subscribe to my Newsletter
