Pasta al forno pancetta e piselli

There’s always something special about a dish of pasta — it is, after all, the Best Food To Ever Exist in my book — but I think we can all agree that there’s something particularly alluring about a baked pasta. This, for a couple of reasons: a baked pasta (pasta al forno in Italian, which translates to pasta cooked in the oven) usually implies cheese, and lots of it. It boasts a crisp, broiled interior, can be baked in one dish, serves a crowd, and overall makes everyone happy. And: did I mention cheese? Has anything ever not been significantly improved by a good grating of cheese?

I usually do a baked pasta for Christmas — sometimes in the form of a lasagne, but also this ragù number here and also this Sicilian inspired one more recently — but who says it has to be a December 25th type of thing? Why not a pasta al forno for Easter, one that is Spring-y and seasonal yet still cozy to match the weird mix of sunny-but-also-still-chilly-and-rainy at times?! weather that many of us are experiencing by mid-March.

After a little testing, here’s what I came up with: a bubbling pan of pasta bathed in a sumptuous béchamel, dressed up with lavish, melty taleggio and nutty Parmesan. The whole thing is dotted with an abundance of sweet peas (piselli) and savory pancetta, and if you’ve used the right kind of pasta — like these conchiglie, or shells — it will catch and hold both ingredients nicely. Indeed: there’s nothing more blissful than biting into a piece of pasta, only to find that a piece of pancetta is concealed within (it’s the little things in life). Like any pasta al forno worth its salt, it sports the telltale crunchy, golden lid, which contrasts beautifully with the gooey deliciousness within. This would be a perfect first course at any Easter lunch or dinner you may be planning, an ideal preamble to the lamb, potatoes, and colomba. Having said this, I’ve also found this pasta toto be a supremely Spring-y weeknight dinner, one that comes together faster than you would think.

Stay tuned for more Easter recipes leading up to 31 March — I’ve got a side and a dessert coming your way!

A couple of notes: This recipe is pretty flexible. You can use any kind of short pasta you want — I have made it with conchiglie and pipe rigate, and I think mezze maniche or rotelle would be nice. You can also play around with the cheeses — replace the taleggio with mozzarella (which I tested with good results, though know it will have a milder flavor), Gruyere, or Fontina. You could probably also use Pecorino instead of Parmesan, which would also take the flavor in a different, slightly sharper direction. Finally, you can also use prosciutto or ham in place of the pancetta. I personally wouldn’t recommend subbing bacon here for the pancetta — it’s flavor is too strong. Roasted asparagus would also be nice in place of the peas. Or: take this in a whole different direction and swap in a different veg for the peas and pancetta (mushrooms are very nice here, and artichokes probably would be too).

Looking for other baked pasta recipes? I have this artichoke lasagne, this pumpkin lasagne, this lasagne alla bolognese, this baked pumpkin pasta, this Sicilian baked pasta, and this baked pasta with ragù.

Looking for other Spring-y recipes? Click here.
Looking for other pasta recipes? Click here.

PASTA AL FORNO PANCETTA E PISELLI

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients for the béchamel:
80 grams (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
80 grams (10 tablespoons, or 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons) flour
960mL (4 cups, 1 quart) whole milk, room temperature

Ingredients for the pasta:
400 grams (a little less than 1 lb) conchiglie (shells), or any other small pasta (see notes)
200 grams (a little shy of 8 ounces) diced pancetta
250 grams (8 ounces) taleggio cheese, cut into cubes
50 grams (a little less than 2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for baking
240 grams (1 1/2 cups) frozen peas

Directions:
1.) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius/400 degrees Fahrenheit, and put a pot of water on to boil for your pasta. Get started on your besciamella in the meantime: In a large pot over medium low heat, melt the butter and then whisk in the flour. Let the flour and milk mixture (your roux!) cook for a few minutes, or until light brown. Whisk in the milk slowly, a little at a time (this, plus the fact that the milk is at room temp, will keep the béchamel from becoming lumpy).

2.) Once the milk is fully incorporated, continue to whisk over medium-low heat until it is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper, keeping in mind that this the main sauce for your pasta and should have enough flavor to stand on its own (we don’t want a bland finished product). I used a teaspoon of salt and then some here, but I leave it to you to adjust it based on your tastes/what kind of cheese you’re using.

3.) Cook the pancetta in a small pan over medium heat until crispy and brown (no need to grease the pan with olive oil or anything; the pancetta will take care of itself). Using a slotted spoon, move it to a paper towel lined plate and let the extra fat drain off. Set aside.

4.) Salt the now boiling water and cook the pasta of your choice until it still has some crunch (the pasta will finish cooking in the oven). Note that I usually subtract about 5 minutes from the recommended al dente cooking time on the package. Drain the pasta.

5.) Pour the shells directly into the pot with the béchamel (one less dish to clean!) and mix it well. Next, stir in the pancetta, cheeses, and frozen peas (no need to thaw the peas, they will cook in the oven). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6.) Butter a 9 x 13 inch pan. Pour the pasta into the pan and grate a few more tablespoons of Parmesan over the top (be generous here — the pasta will have a nice golden finish to it). Bake in the oven for 25 or so minutes or until bubbly. Set the oven to broiler, and move the pasta up to the highest rack on the oven. Bake until golden brown on the top. Let cool slightly and serve.