Traditional Pasta alla Sorrentina

Pasta alla Sorrentina is inspired by the famous gnocchi alla sorrentina, creating a delicious first course.Baked to perfection in the oven, this dish features a delightful blend of Italian staples: pasta, tomatoes, Parmigiano Reggiano and mozzarella, resulting in a stringy and flavorful experience.

📝 Ingredients

• 500 g short pasta such as rigatoni, penne, fusilli or maccheroni (- 1.1 pound)
• 500 ml tomato passata (- ~2 cups)
• 225 g mozzarella (- 8 oz )
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 50 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (-~1/2 cup)
• 1 garlic clove
• salt (- to taste)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- MAKE THE TOMATO SAUCE ---
2. 2sauté: To prepare pasta alla sorrentina, start with the tomato sauce. In a saucepan, sauté a whole, peeled clove of garlic in extra virgin olive oil for about a minute.
3. 3Add the tomato and a few fresh basil leaves. Stir and add salt to taste.
4. 4simmer: Allow the tomato sauce to simmer over a low heat for about 20 minutes.
5. 5cook: Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta. The cooking time for short pasta is 8 to 14 minutes, depending on the thickness and brand.
6. 6dice: While the sauce and pasta are cooking, dice the mozzarella cheese.
7. 7drain: It is very important to dry the mozzarella well. You can drain the liquid by placing the mozzarella in a colander about an hour before. You can also blot the mozzarella with paper towels.
8. 8--- SEASON THE PASTA ---
9. 9stir: Drain the pasta al dente directly into the saucepan. Remember to remove the clove of garlic from the sauce, or if it is very cooked, you can crush it with a fork and melt it in the sauce. Stir well to incorporate the pasta evenly into the sauce.
10. 10--- MAKE LAYERS ---
11. 11make layers: Pour about half of the pasta into a baking dish. This will form the first layer of pasta. Place about half of the mozzarella cubes and grated Parmigiano cheese on top of the pasta.
12. 12--- BAKE AND SERVE ---
13. 13top: Cover with the remaining pasta, then add more mozzarella and finally other Parmigiano Reggiano, a few basil leaves and a drizzle of oil.
14. 14Bake in a ventilated oven on the middle rack at 200°C (392°F) for about 15 minutes. Bake until the pasta alla sorrentina is golden brown on top, the crust is crisp and the mozzarella is stringy.
15. 15serve: Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.