supper

Penne Pasta With Tomato Tuna Sauce

September 29, 2021 by Marisa 32 Comments

Penne Pasta With Tomato Tuna Sauce is a simple yet delicious Italian tuna and pasta dish. It’s one I grew up with as a child and is still, very much a favourite to this day!

It’s made with just a few good quality, staple ingredients and packed full of wonderful flavours. This recipe is one you will turn to, again and again.

As is common in most cultures and at a time when food was scarce, families made do with the very few ingredients they had on hand.

With so little they created simple comfort foods we so crave and love. In Italy this philosophy is known as La Cucina Povera, or otherwise “the poor man’s kitchen”. And truly born out of necessity!

This concept is far easier to embrace during summertime when gardens are lush with fruits and vegetables. However in the Fall and wintertime we needn’t look any further then our own kitchen pantries.

The Star Ingredients For This Tuna Tomato Pasta Recipe Are:

Tuna, canned or jarred fillets (oil or water packed)
Passata, strained tomatoes
Pasta, of your choice

Canned tuna or even the tuna fillets sold in glass jars, are one of those staple items I always keep in my pantry. It’s ready at a moments notice for quick sandwiches as my son can attest…he just adored tuna sandwiches for his school lunches!

They’re also wonderfully delicious tossed with green leafy salads and legumes for an extra protein kick.

But it also makes a rather enticing tuna sauce simply begging to be tossed over freshly cooked pasta. You will so appreciate the simplicity of tuna in a tomato sauce.

A good quality oil packed canned tuna is much more flavourful than the water packed variety and will elevate this simple sauce.

Also, don’t be too concerned about the oil which you will be draining out anyhow. But if this is still an issue for you then by all means go for the water packed.

What Is Passata?

Tomato passata is a purée of uncooked strained ripe tomatoes with a thick, velvety smooth consistency.

My parents, as with most Italian households, would traditionally make their own in the late summer season when tomatoes are at their ripest!

The ripened tomatoes go through a straining process in order to remove all its seeds and skins.

It’s an Italian pantry must have, as Passata is an excellent base for tomato pasta sauces or stews. And at my house, it’s never far from reach when making a quick no-cook pizza sauce.

Nowadays, store bought passata is readily available on most grocery store shelves. Look for jarred or boxed passata with a short ingredient list consisting of tomatoes and salt.

So far I’m loving the Mutti and La San Marzano brands (not sponsored) but I’m looking forward to testing and trying others.

Now let’s get started in making an easy and delicious tuna sauce!

How To Make Tuna and Tomato Pasta Sauce

Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a medium sized stock pot and add in the chopped onions, minced garlic and the chilli flakes.

Step 2: Sautée on low heat for about 5 minutes or until the onions take on a translucent appearance.

Stir often while taking care not to burn the garlic.

Step 3: Stir in the strained tomatoes.

Step 4: Fill the empty bottle of strained tomatoes with water, about 3 quarters full while giving the bottle a good swirl and add it to the pot along with the dried basil, crushed black pepper and salt.

Stir well.

Step 5: Bring the sauce to a boil then lower the heat and allow to simmer for about 45 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water and cook your pasta of choice according to package directions

Step 6: While the pasta cooks, stir in the tuna, kalamata olives and fresh basil to the sauce.

Sauce and Serve Pasta

When it comes to serving pasta with a tomato sauce, I’ve always followed in mamma’s footsteps.

I first drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
Stir in a few ladles of tomato sauce and give it a good stir to combine.
Plate the pasta and top with some more tomato sauce and a sprig of basil.

Voilà! A gorgeous and delicious plateful of pasta!

I happen to love penne rigate or the smaller pennette rigate with this tuna and tomato sauce. The crevices and hollow centres make the perfect vehicle to hold a chunkier sauce. But feel free to use any pasta of your choice!

Impress your family or friends and make Penne Pasta with Tomato Tuna Sauce tonight!

Or try another delicious pasta dish using canned sardines, Sardine Spaghetti with Chives.

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Buon Appetito!

Print Recipe

4.5 from 2 votes

Penne Pasta with Tomato Tuna Sauce

An easy and delicious penne pasta dish with tomato tuna sauce. It's made with canned tuna and kalamata olives for a quick fuss free dinner anytime of the week.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Penne Rigate with Tomato Tuna Sauce

Servings:

Calories: 513kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

Tomato and Tuna Pasta Sauce

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 small onion chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed chilli pepper
660 ml jar Passata Italian strained tomatoes I used San Marzano
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
2 x 85 grams canned oil packed tuna drained or 190 gram jar of tuna filets.
1/4 cup Kalamata olives pitted and slivered
2 sprigs of basil

Pasta

450 grams Penne Rigate or other pasta of your choice
salt for cooking water

Instructions

Tomato and Tuna Pasta Sauce

Heat the oil in a medium sized sauce pot over medium low heat.
Sauté the garlic, chopped onions and the crushed chilli pepper just until the onions are soft, while stirring often for about 5 minutes.
Add in the passata (Italian strained tomatoes), dried basil, salt and pepper and stir well.
Fill the bottle of passata three quarters full with water. Give it a good swirl and add this to the sauce. Stir well.
Bring the sauce to a boil then lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the sweet concentrated flavors of the tomatoes come through.
While the sauce is slowly simmering, bring a large pot of water to boil.
Salt the water and cook the pasta according to package directions.
While the pasta cooks, add the drained tuna, slivered kalamata olives and fresh basil to the tomato sauce. Allow to simmer till the pasta is al dente.

Plating Pasta with Tuna Sauce

When ready, drain the pasta and toss with some of the tomato sauce.
Plate the pasta and top with more sauce and a sprinkle of basil.
Serve while still warm.

Nutrition

Pesto Alla Genovese (Classic Basil Pesto)

June 3, 2021 by Marisa 33 Comments

Pesto alla Genovese is a classic basil pesto sauce originating from Liguria in the north-western part of the boot. This versatile fragrant sauce is quick and easy, making mealtime stress free.

Check the list of ingredients you’ll need and step-by-step photos below on how to make a Classic Basil Pesto Sauce!

The word pesto is derived from the Italian word pestare, which means to pound or to crush. This is exactly what a pestle and mortar is used for and also a more authentic way of making herb-infused sauces.

But, a food processor really does an excellent job in whipping up large batches of herb-based sauces.

As a bonus, in a food processor, herb sauces can be put together in mere minutes. It’s so easy and delicious and perfect for big batch recipes.

Ingredients For An Authentic Pesto Alla Genovese

Basil, these sweet and tender leaves are an essential ingredient when making this Italian oil and herb-based sauce.
Pine Nuts, also known as pignoli are the edible seeds from pine trees and a must have component for this Genovese-style pesto.
Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, is known as the king of all cheeses. I buy mine in large chunks and grate it fresh as needed for optimal flavour. You can also use a combo of Pecorino Romano or Grana Padana cheese.
Garlic infuses this oil and herb based sauce with its spicy flavour.
Salt to draw out all the natural flavours of a dish.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a key ingredient in Mediterranean cooking. Buy the best you can afford and keep it stored in a cool dark place away from light.

Why Are Pine Nuts So Expensive?

Pine nuts with their distinctive teardrop shape, are the edible seeds in pine cones, cultivated from pine trees. These trees take time to grow and reach their full maturity.

Once they’re mature enough to harvest, extracting the pine nuts from the cones is quite labour intensive.

Hence their hefty price tag!

How To Make A Classic Basil Pesto With A Food Processor

Follow the simple 1, 2, 3 steps below for an easy breezy sauce that makes mealtime a cinch.

Step 1 – Place the fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic cloves, salt and extra virgin olive oil into a food processor.

Step 2 – Pulse till combined.

You’ll want to use the shortest amount of time when pulsing the ingredients together. This way, the basil retains its vibrant green colour.

Step 3 – Transfer the basil mixture into a small bowl and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

And this is all it takes to transform a few fresh ingredients into an aromatic sauce that can be used in so many ways.

What Can Basil Pesto Be Used For?

There are endless ways to use pesto while preserving the sweet flavours of Summer.

Try it as a flavour booster for minestrone soup or pizza topping instead of the usual tomato pizza sauce.

Use it as a dressing for a potato salad or as a sandwich spread instead of mayonnaise as I sometimes do with my artichoke pesto recipe.

Serve alongside grilled chicken or fish.

On busy weeknights, try tossing it with gnocchi or any other pasta of your choice and have dinner ready in under 30 minutes. Oh the pestobilities!

For A Quick And Easy Sauce To Toss With Pasta

Pesto alla Genovese makes a quick and easy sauce to toss with your favourite pasta.

For 454g of pasta follow directions below. Serves 4-6 depending on portion size.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, drain and return the pasta to the pot.
Toss the pasta with 3/4 cup of pesto and some of the reserved cooking water to thin out the sauce a little.
You can adjust the consistency of the sauce with a little more pesto or cooking water to your liking.
Serve with freshly cracked peppercorns and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

How Long Is Basil Pesto Good For?

This basil pesto recipe is at its best while the flavours are bright, bold and strong. But it also keeps well in the fridge for approximately 2 weeks.

However, you’ll want to keep it covered with an extra layer of extra-virgin olive oil in the jar to prevent the basil from oxidizing or turning brown.

For longer storage, you can freeze the pesto for up to 3 months.

And, as a personal choice I recommend freezing without the cheese for optimal flavor. I’ve found that freezing with the cheese changes the overall appearance and taste.

Enjoy! And happy pesto making!

Print Recipe

No ratings yet

Pesto Alla Genovese (Classic Basil Pesto)

Pesto Alla Genovese, a classic basil pesto sauce. It's so quick and easy to make with fresh basil, pine nuts, extra-virgin olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and garlic.

Prep Time15 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Basil Pesto, Pesto all Genovese

Servings:

Calories: 254kcal

Equipment

Food Processor

Ingredients

4 cups fresh basil leaves (packed) rinsed and patted dry
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt I used fine sea salt
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

Place the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and extra virgin olive oil in a food processor or blender.
Pulse and process on high while using the shortest amount of time so the basil does not lose its vibrant green colour .
Transfer the basil mixture into a small bowl and stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Toss with your favourite pasta, gnocchi or even a potato salad. Or, use as a base for pizza topping.
It's also wonderful served alongside grilled chicken or fish.

Notes

Storing Instructions: Homemade basil pesto keeps quite well in the fridge, in an air tight jar, for approximately 2 weeks. When storing, always keep a thin layer of oil on the surface as this will keep the basil from turning brown or oxidizing.

Freezing Instructions: For optimal flavour freeze without the cheese for up to 3 months.

For A Quick And Easy Sauce To Toss With Pasta

Pesto alla Genovese makes a quick and easy sauce to toss with your favourite pasta.

For 454g of pasta follow directions below. Serves 4-6 depending on portion size.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, drain and return the pasta to the pot.
Toss the pasta with 3/4 cup of pesto and some of the reserved cooking water to thin out the sauce a little.
You can adjust the consistency of the sauce with a little more pesto or cooking water to your liking.
Serve with freshly cracked peppercorns and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Nutrition

Lemon Spaghetti with Shrimp

January 22, 2021 by Marisa 40 Comments

A bright and bold Lemon Spaghetti with Shrimp recipe that’s always a winner at my house!

You’ll love this dish for it’s simplicity and for how quickly it can be put together on a busy weeknight! Or even for those very special weekend dinners too!

This dish features succulent colossal shrimp, marinated in an Italian gremolata sauce which is quite simply a condiment. This condiment is a mixture of fresh parsley, garlic and lemon which enhances the fresh flavours.

Add a little extra virgin olive oil and you’ve got yourself a quick aromatic marinade for shrimp.

The marinated shrimp are pan seared and served over a platter of lemon parmesan pasta.

It’s so easy to put together and with a little planning and prepping ahead of time you can have dinner ready in approximately 30 minutes.

Ingredients For Italian Gremolata

With a few simple ingredients, fresh is always best!

Parsley: Use Italian flat leaf parsley as it’s much more fragrant than the curly variety.
Garlic: Rather than chopping the garlic try mincing it for a less pungent flavour since the shrimp cook rather quickly.
Lemon Zest: Lemon zest adds lots of flavour. Make sure to use only the colourful part and not the pith of the lemons which is quite bitter.

Preparing And Marinating Black Tiger Shrimp

I used frozen, raw easy peel shrimp for this lemon shrimp pasta recipe. Frozen shrimp are always convenient to have on hand and an ideal choice for busy weeknights!

The shells are pre-cut and the shrimp are deveined for you. All you need to do is defrost the shrimp then peel back the shell while leaving the tail intact.

There are a couple of ways you can defrost the shrimp:

Overnight thaw: Simply place the shrimp in the fridge the night before you plan to cook with them.
Quick thaw: Remove the shrimp from their packaging and place the shrimp in a colander. Run cold water over the shrimp for about 6 minutes or until thawed. Then simply drain and pat dry before marinating the shrimp.

You can do this ahead of time and keep the shrimp in the fridge until you’re ready to marinate them.

Cooking Black Tiger Shrimp For Lemon Pasta

Once marinated with the parsley, garlic, lemon and oil, set them aside for about 15-20 minutes. This allows the time to bring a large pot of water to a roaring boil.

The amount of time to cook the shrimp will depend on their size. Mine were the 8/12 count per pound and required about 2 minutes or so on each side.

These 8/12 count per pound are also referred to as super colossal sized shrimp, but can sometimes vary depending on the vendor.

They’re far meatier than the smaller shrimp and quite satisfying even to the carnivores in my family.

How to Make Lemon Shrimp Spaghetti

Although these quick pan seared shrimp are magnificent all on their own, they compliment the lemon parmesan spaghetti quite deliciously.

Once you have your shrimp marinating in the parsley, garlic and lemon sauce, bring a large pot of water to boil.
This will give the shrimp sufficient time for a quick marinade while you prepare the lemon parmesan sauce for the spaghetti.
When the water comes to a roaring boil, salt and add in the pasta.
Cook the pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat.
Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper.
Add the shrimp to the hot pan and sear for approximately 2 minutes on each side. This largely depends on the size of your shrimp.
If your skillet is small, you can cook them in batches.
When the pasta is ready, drain and toss with the lemon sauce.

There are two ways to bring this magnificent dish to the table!

You can transfer the lemon spaghetti onto a serving platter and top the pasta with the pan seared shrimp, a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley and a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. And let your family help themselves!

Or you can plate individual servings, topped with an equal amount of the lemon garlic shrimp, a dash of chopped parsley and a slight drizzle of the olive oil. This way there’s no infighting amongst siblings!

Servings for lemon shrimp pasta:

Twirling the spaghetti as in the photo will easily yield 6 portions, measuring approximately 1 1/2 cups cooked pasta per serving. I find this more than enough when serving a multiple coarse meal.

However, when served as a main dish with a salad on the side, you will have 4 very generous portions indeed!

Make it tonight and impress friends and family with this relatively easy to make, shrimp over pasta dish.

And, if you love shrimp pasta dishes as much as I do, you might also enjoy this Spaghettoni with Shrimp and Peppers recipe

Happy Cooking!

This recipe was originally published April 6, 2016 and republished January 22, 2021 with updated photos and content.

Print Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Lemon Spaghetti with shrimp

A bright and bold lemon spaghetti dish with jumbo garlic, lemon shrimps.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time11 mins

Course: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Lemon Spaghetti with Shrimp

Servings: to 6

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

GREMOLATA MARINADE FOR SHRIMP

908 grams large shrimp shelled and deveined
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
lemon zest from 2 lemons
1/2 cup chopped parsley
4 cloves of garlic minced
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

LEMON PASTA SAUCE

454 grams spaghetti
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
lemon zest from one lemon
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper to your taste I used fine sea salt

Instructions

PREP SHRIMP GREMOLATA MARINADE

In a bowl toss together the shrimp, extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, chopped parsley and minced garlic.
Set aside to marinate at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

FOR THE PASTA

Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
When water reaches a rapid boil, salt the water and toss in the spaghetti. Cook according to package instructions.

WHILE THE PASTA COOKS

While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper and cook in a single layer, for about 2 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the shrimp.
Also, depending on the size of your pan, you may have to cook the shrimp in 2 batches.
Once the shrimp are cooked transfer them to a plate and set aside.

LEMON PASTA SAUCE

Whisk together the 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/3 cup lemon juice and zest, freshly grated cheese, parsley and a dash of salt and pepper.
Drain the spaghetti, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water.
Return the drained pasta to the pot.
Pour the lemon sauce over the drained pasta and toss to combine.
Add a little bit of the reserved pasta water if needed.
You'll want to add just enough of the reserved pasta water to moisten the spaghetti.
Toss well.
Transfer the spaghetti onto a serving platter and top with the pan seared shrimp.
Sprinkle with a dash of chopped parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
You can bring the assembled platter to the table and let everyone help themselves or make individual servings topped with an equal amount of shrimp, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and garnished with parsley.
And pass the cheese if you wish. I'm all for extra cheese!

Stracciatella Soup with Mini Meatballs

January 7, 2021 by Marisa 38 Comments

Stracciatella Soup with Mini Meatballs is an Italian egg drop soup. It’s packed with shreds of eggs, cheese and parsley mixture and mini veal meatballs for a soul satisfying meal.

What is Stracciatella Soup?

Stracciatella soup is a classic broth based, egg drop soup and quite popular in the Lazian countryside of Italy where I was born.

In Italian, stracciatella means little shreds. In this egg drop soup it references the beaten egg mixture which is poured into a simmering broth and then stirred to form soft pillowy shredded morsels.

It’s a comfort food at best and one that was quite prominent during my childhood years. It was traditionally served at the start of our Christmas or Easter meal.

Of course growing up Italian, this type of soup was only a prelude to a more lavish 5 or even 6 course meal and generally mamma would serve it in very small portions.

How Do You Make Meatballs From Scratch

Making your own meatballs from scratch is really a simple process of combining some minced meat with flavouring agents such as spices, herbs, some grated cheese, breadcrumbs and eggs. This will ensure well seasoned and tender meatballs.

You can shape them into very small shapes or slightly bigger if you so wish. However, you’ll need to increase the cooking time to compensate for the larger sized meatballs.

Once the seasoned minced meat is prepared, you’ll need about 30 minutes to form the tiny meatballs.

To form the mini meatballs for the stracciatella soup you’ll need:

minced veal (you can also substitute with minced chicken or turkey)
eggs which act as a binding agent and add moisture
breadcrumbs also act as a binding agent and soak up flavours
Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated for optimal flavour
garlic, a fundamental flavouring agent
parsley, fresh is best
salt and pepper brightens up the flavours

A neat trick in shaping perfect little meatballs is rubbing your hands with a little vegetable oil which makes it all the more easier to form the little balls.

How To Make Stracciatella Soup With Mini Meatballs

Stracciatella soup is one of my all time favourite Italian soups packed full of delicious flavours. And it’s really quite simple to make!

You’ll need a good quality ready made chicken broth or simply make your own from scratch if you wish!

Bring the chicken broth to a simmer and slowly add in the meatballs.

Let the meatballs simmer in the broth for about 10 minutes or until cooked through.

Once cooked through, I like to pass a small skimmer over the top of the soup to remove any fat residue and have a clearer broth.

But this is entirely up to you.

Meanwhile, combine the eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and some chopped parsley with salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Then lightly whisk the mixture together.

The egg mixture is then gently poured over the simmering meatball soup.

Once you’ve poured all of the egg drop mixture into the broth, lightly stir with a wooden spoon.

The egg mixture will firm up while creating soft pools of shredded egg drops.

You’ll note that the more you stir the egg mixture as it’s firming up, the smaller the shreds become. So for larger shreds of egg drops simply stir less.

Soups are always a saving grace during cold and flu season, providing us enough sustenance to get us through the worst!

But, there’s really only one other thing better then this Mini Meatball Stracciatella Soup when your feeling under the weather, and that would be when someone else graciously makes it for you!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

This recipe was originally published January 18, 2018 and updated with new content and photos January 7, 2021.

Print Recipe

No ratings yet

Stracciatella Soup with Mini Meatballs

Mini Meatball Stracciatella Soup is an Italian classic and a family pleasing dish. Packed with shreds of eggs, cheese and parsley mixture and mini veal meatballs for a soul satisfying meal.

Prep Time45 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Stracciatella soup with mini meatballs

Servings:

Calories: 326kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

For the Mini Meatballs

10 cups chicken broth I used store bought no added salt, fat free and gluten free
640 grams ground veal
2 large eggs lightly beaten
2 small garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon salt I use fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons bread crumbs I used dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped parsley plus 1 tablespoon more for garnish

For the Stracciatella: Egg Drop

4 large eggs
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl combine together the minced veal, beaten eggs, salt and pepper, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, minced garlic and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley.
Mix well by hand and shape into tiny meatballs about 1/2 inch in diameter. (rub your hands with some vegetable oil for easy rolling)
Bring the chicken broth to a simmer and slowly add in the meatballs.
Let the meatballs simmer for about 10 minutes or until cooked through.
Skim any of the residual fat from the top of the broth.
Meanwhile whisk the stracciatella ingredients in a small bowl.
When the meatballs are cooked through, slowly pour the stracciatella into the soup and then give it a gentle stir.
Let simmer for one minute.
To serve, ladle into soup bowls and top with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Butternut Squash Paccheri Pasta Bake

October 8, 2020 by Marisa 30 Comments

This elegant Butternut Squash and Paccheri Pasta Bake will take centre stage at your next family gathering or celebratory meal. A comforting and eye pleasing pasta dish made with oven roasted butternut squash, baby arugula and a creamy cheese sauce with a hint of rosemary.

This was a special request from hubby after returning home one evening with the latest “Bon Appétit” magazine.

It featured a baked pasta dish made with peas and mint which greatly resembled a cake.

I’ve made a few changes to the recipe. Mainly I replaced the peas with some seasonal, sweet oven roasted butternut squash which I then tossed with the cooked pasta. I also substituted the mint with some chopped rosemary however sage would work wonderfully as well.

Since I couldn’t come across Fontina cheese, I replaced it with freshly grated Asiago cheese. It’s a wonderful cow’s milk cheese and it melted beautifully in the silky smooth sauce. The aromas in this oven baked pasta dish are simply wonderful!

This deep dish pasta is fairly easy to put together but does require a few simple steps. They’re quite easily achievable, I might add.

And, will have your guests thinking you’ve laboured all day but you and I know differently!

How to Roast Butternut Squash for Paccheri Pasta Bake

First peel, chop and prep the butternut squash.

Chop the butternut squash into half inch cubes.
Place the chopped squash on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Toss together with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to your taste.
Spread out in one single layer and bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes or till fork tender.

While the butternut squash bakes you can start on the creamy cheese sauce.

How to Make an Italian Creamy Cheese Sauce

Melt a 1/4 cup of butter in a large sauce pot and over medium heat.
Add in the all purpose flour and cook while whisking for 2 minutes.
Slowly whisk in the milk.
Reduce the heat slightly and let the sauce simmer til thickened, for about 20 minutes. Whisk often so the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
Remove the sauce pot from the heat and whisk in the Asiago cheese and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese.
Whisk in the lightly beaten egg and season with salt and pepper to your taste.
Cover the sauce pot to keep warm and set aside while you cook the pasta.

PREP YOUR SPRINGFORM PAN BEFORE BAKING

While I was tempted at first to line my springform pan with parchment paper for easier release of this pasta dish recipe, I’m glad I didn’t.

This simple technique of first buttering the pan, and then sprinkling it all around with Parmesan cheese will give you that beautiful crusty exterior we all love so much. In every single slice!

There won’t be any fighting for the crusty end pieces with this dish for sure!

Cook and drain the pasta.
In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the roasted butternut squash, arugula, parsley and rosemary.
Stir in the cheese sauce until well combined.
Transfer half of the pasta mixture into the prepared springform pan.

How to assemble the Paccheri pasta with ricotta

Mix together the ricotta and lemon zest in a small bowl.
Spoon half of the ricotta lemon mixture over the pasta.
You can either spread the ricotta mixture over the pasta or leave it dotted, as in the photo below.

Top with the remaining pasta mixture while spreading it out evenly.
Spoon the remaining ricotta mixture over the second layer of pasta.
Sprinkle the top with 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

Place the springform pan over a baking sheet (this will avoid any mess from the juices leaking out of the bottom of the springform pan).
Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F, for about 45 minutes.
Or, until the top is golden brown and crispy.

Let the baked pasta dish cool for about a half hour before releasing from the pan.
Then run an off set spatula or butter knife around the inside edges of the springform pan to remove any sticky areas and carefully release the pasta from the pan.
Cut into wedges and serve while still warm.

This deep dish pasta recipe will serve 6 to 8 people depending on the size of each serving.

So, if you have a birthday coming up soon and you love a meatless pasta dish once in a while, then this vegetarian paccheri pasta recipe is definitely for you!

But why wait for your birthday! Make it this weekend, take a photo and tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Happy cooking!

This post was originally published Oct 27, 2017 and republished October Oct 8, 2020 with new photos and content.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Butternut Squash Paccheri Pasta Bake

This elegant Butternut Squash Paccheri Pasta Bake will take center stage at your next family gathering celebrations. Its creamy, cheesy and so easy to make.

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time45 mins

Resting time30 mins

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Baked pasta, Butternut Squash Pasta

Servings: servings

Calories: 535kcal

Author: Marisa

Equipment

9 inch springform pan for easy release or any other deep dish baking pan.

Ingredients

FOR ROASTING THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH

4 cups diced butternut squash
olive oil for drizzling over butternut squash

FOR THE CREAMY CHEESE SAUCE

1/4 cup unsalted butter plus more for greasing the pan
1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese divided
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 litre milk I used 3.5 % full fat milk
1 cup grated Asiago cheese
1 large egg lightly beaten
fine sea salt or kosher salt to your taste
freshly ground pepper to your taste

TO ASSEMBLE THE PASTA

500 grams paccheri pasta or rigatoni
4 cups baby arugula roughly chopped
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Instructions

ROASTING THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the chopped butternut squash on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until fork tender.
Set the cooked butternut squash aside while continuing with the rest of the recipe.

CREAMY CHEESE SAUCE

In a large saucepan, melt 1/4 cup of the butter over medium heat.
Add the all purpose flour to the melted butter and cook while whisking for 2 minutes.
Slowly whisk in the milk.
Reduce the heat slightly and let he sauce simmer while whisking often, until the sauce has thickened, for about 20 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the Asiago cheese and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese.
Whisk in the lightly beaten egg and season with salt and pepper.
Cover the saucepan to keep warm and set aside while you cook the pasta and prep the springform pan.

PREPPING THE PAN

Butter a 9 inch springform pan with softened butter.
Sprinkle the pan all over with 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and set aside.

COOK THE PASTA

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta just until al dente or firm to the bite.
Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.

ASSEMBLING THE DEEP DISH PASTA

Add the cooked butternut squash, arugula, parsley and rosemary to the pasta bowl.
Stir in the cheese sauce until well combined.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Transfer half of the pasta mixture to the prepared springform pan.
In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese and lemon zest then spoon half of this mixture over the pasta.
Transfer the remaining pasta into the pan and spoon the remaining ricotta mixture over the pasta.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and bake for about 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crispy.
Let the baked pasta rest for about 1/2 hour then run a knife alongside the inside of the pan before releasing the pasta from the pan.
Cut into wedges and serve.

Nutrition