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Pasta alla sorrentina
Pasta alla sorrentina is a first course inspired by the more famous recipe for gnocchi alla sorrentina (potato dumplings, Sorrento style). Pasta baked au gratin, stringy with melted cheese and full of flavour, made with all the great classics of Italian cooking: pasta, tomato, grana cheese and mozzarella!
INGREDIENTS
- 500 g short pasta
- 500 ml tomato passata (sieved tomatoes)
- 200 g of mozzarella fiordilatte (2 medium-sized mozzarella balls)
- fresh basil
- extra virgin olive oil
- grated grana padano cheese
- 1 clove of garlic
- salt
For the tomato sauce, you can use fresh tomatoes, if you happen to have them and the time to prepare them, or simply opt for a good tomato passata with garlic, oil and fresh basil (a spoonful of sugar never goes amiss).
As for the pasta shape, calamarata is ideal, though rigatoni and fusilli work just as well, since they hold the sauce beautifully.
HOW TO MAKE: PASTA ALLA SORRENTINA
1To make pasta alla sorrentina, start with the tomato sauce. In a pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil with a clove of garlic. Add the tomato passata and basil. Add half a teaspoon of sugar to cut the acidity. Season with salt. Let the tomato sauce simmer for about 20 minutes over a low flame. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Once the pasta and sauce are ready, start building your dish. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of a pot or an ovenproof dish, which will later go into the oven. 
2Add half of the cooked pasta. A few spoonfuls of tomato sauce, then toss it so it's evenly coated. 
3Break the mozzarella into pieces and scatter it over the pasta. Sprinkle a generous amount of grated cheese over the mozzarella. 
4Add another layer of pasta. Dress it with the sauce and a few fresh basil leaves. 
5Another layer of mozzarella and parmesan. Bake in a preheated static oven at 200°C for 15–20 minutes. 
6Once the pasta alla sorrentina is nicely golden on top, take it out of the oven and serve.
Posted in:
Neapolitan food
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