Baked Ziti Neapolitan Style (Maccheroni al Forno)
Print
Baked Ziti Neapolitan Style (Maccheroni al Forno)
A classic Sunday and holiday baked pasta from Naples, layered with rich ragù, tiny meatballs, creamy ricotta, fiordilatte cheese, and baked until golden and crispy on top. Rustic, abundant, and deeply comforting.
Servings6
Ingredienti
- 400 g ziti pasta
- 250 g fiordilatte mozzarella diced
- 250 g ricotta cheese
- 150 g ground meat
- 4 eggs 3 of them hard-boiled (optional)
- 100 g grated Parmesan cheese
- Breadcrumbs
- Stale bread soaked in water and squeezed
- Olive oil or lard
- Salt to taste
- Ragù sauce or simple tomato ragù “finto ragù”
Istruzioni
- Prepare the ragù sauce or a simple tomato ragù and keep it warm.
- In a bowl, combine the ground meat, 1 fresh egg, the soaked and squeezed stale bread, a little grated Parmesan, and salt.
- Shape the mixture into small meatballs.
- Fry the meatballs in olive oil or lard until golden brown. Set aside.
- Dice the fiordilatte mozzarella.
- In a bowl, loosen the ricotta with a little hot pasta cooking water and a spoonful of tomato sauce until creamy.
- Cook the ziti in salted boiling water until halfway cooked.
- Drain the pasta and toss it with part of the ragù sauce and some grated Parmesan.
- Lightly grease a baking dish and dust it with breadcrumbs.
- Spread a first layer of pasta in the dish.
- Add layers of meatballs, diced fiordilatte, ricotta cream, Parmesan, spoonfuls of ragù, and wedges of hard-boiled eggs if using.
- Continue layering until all ingredients are used, finishing with sauce, Parmesan, and a light sprinkling of breadcrumbs on top.
- Bake in a very hot oven at 200°C (390°F) until the top becomes golden and crispy, about 25–30 minutes.
- Let the pasta rest for a few minutes before serving.
Note
Traditional Neapolitan baked pasta is often prepared for Sundays, Carnival, and family celebrations.
Ziti can be broken by hand before cooking, as traditionally done in Naples.
Fiordilatte gives a softer and more delicate flavor than industrial mozzarella.
Ziti can be broken by hand before cooking, as traditionally done in Naples.
Fiordilatte gives a softer and more delicate flavor than industrial mozzarella.