The Calabrian tiella-style pasta and potatoes, known in Calabria as pasta ara tieddra, is a dish that tastes like home, tradition, and skilled hands.
This Calabrian baked pasta and potatoes is a rich and creamy version similar to baked ziti, but with Calabria’s unique touch: everything raw, you bake it and let the oven do the work, with no sautés or complicated steps.
Perfect for those who love authentic flavors, this Calabrian recipe will take you straight to grandma’s kitchen, where every ingredient tells a story, and every bite is pure comfort.
If you’re looking for other delicious recipes, have a look here:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 5 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 8.8 oz ziti (broken long)
- 24.7 oz peeled tomatoes
- 14.1 oz potatoes (from Sila)
- 8.8 oz caciocavallo silano
- 1.8 oz pecorino romano
- 1.4 oz stale bread
- 1 cup water
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste dried oregano
⚠️ Note on water: the liquid serves to hydrate the pasta and potatoes and to create a creamy base. With this quantity, the base will almost cover the level of the pasta. If halfway through cooking the base seems dry, you can add a few tablespoons of hot water along the edges.
Tools
- Parchment paper
- Baking dish
Steps
Wash the potatoes very well under running water to remove any dirt, especially if they are Sila potatoes which are usually quite earthy. Peel them and slice them thinly.
Lightly grease the baking dish.
Place a layer of potatoes, some peeled tomatoes, broken candles (ziti), diced caciocavallo, bread crumbs, a bit of salt and pecorino.
Continue layering until all the ingredients are used up.
Add hot water.
Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of oregano.
Cover the baking dish with parchment paper for the first 40 minutes of cooking.
Bake in a preheated oven at 428°F (220°C) for 50-55 minutes.
In the last 10-15 minutes, you can remove the parchment paper to slightly gratinate the surface.Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving: the creamy base will settle, and the flavors will be more intense.
I’m convinced it will also become one of your favorite pastas, not only for the ease and speed of preparation but especially for the unique taste of pasta cooked like this, all raw, directly in the oven.
Try it and let me know what you think!
You can find me on my social pages: come follow me and don’t miss the next recipes 💛
Instagram: Troppo Buonissimo on Instagram
Pinterest: Troppo Buonissimo on Pinterest
Facebook: Troppo Buonissimo on Facebook
Storage and Tips for Perfect Tiella-Style Pasta and Potatoes
Storage
Store in the refrigerator 2 days, well covered.
To reheat, use an oven or pan with a dash of water to maintain creaminess.
Break the candles into irregular pieces: they will absorb the sauce better.
Tips
Slice the potatoes very thinly for even cooking.
Add a pinch of chili pepper if you want a spicier flavor.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I really put everything raw?
Yes! The starch from the pasta and potatoes naturally creates the cream during cooking.
Do I need to stir during cooking?
No, let the oven do its job: you’ll have a creamy base and a gratinated surface.
