This culturally authentic baked Southern Italian pasta dish is hearty and filling and is delicious warm from the oven and at room temperature. I like this as a mid-day or early evening meal, as it is heavy and needs to be burned off. It is delicious with a salad. It keeps very well for camping – I place a piece on the grill to warm it up and splash hot sauce all over it – then eat it fireside. I also make a variation of this dish by adding 2 finely crushed garlic cloves and about a half pound of clean baby spinach (or leftover cooked spinach). I add the spinach to the cooked pasta and toss together before adding the egg mixture.
Because the dish will be baked after pasta has cooked a bit in water, the pasta must not be fully cooked at the end of the boiling process. After boiling the pasta, it should move in the liquid fluidly but the pasta should still have a thick layer of uncooked dough at this center. The pasta will continue to cook while it bakes in the oven. If you boil the pasta and cook it in full before baking, the final product will be a mushy mess. Once baked, the dish should still have a bit of “tooth” or be al dente in texture (sometimes described as chewiness).
Ingredients:
1 pound gluten free Pasta (Something long and flat)
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Whole Eggs
3 Egg Whites
1/4 teaspoon Granulated Garlic
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup Grated Locatelli or Parmesan
Crushed Red Pepper (to taste)
Use a baking dish large enough to accommodate one pound of pasta. This is usually done in a tray shape or a shallow large bowl. Pour a few drops of olive oil in the bowl and use paper to spread across entire surface. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Put the pasta water up to boil. Place enough water in a large pot (about 4 quarts for GF pasta) to cook 1 pound of pasta. Salt water when water begins to simmer, add 1 Tablespoon olive oil, add uncooked pasta.
Prepare the egg mixture in a separate bowl. Whisk together eggs until fully combined. Add ¼ tsp of granulated garlic, an 1/8 teaspoon salt, (the optional crushed red pepper), 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, and ¼ cup finely grated cheese (I prefer Locatelli, but use what suits you.) Whisk all ingredients together, set aside.
Add the uncooked pasta to the boiling water. Cook pasta for about ¾ of the total cooking time. For example, if pasta would be completely cooked in 10 minutes, then cook it for 6 or 7 minutes. Ultimately, you are looking for a heavy “tooth” (al dente.)
Using a heat resistant measuring cup, just before pasta is drained, retain about 1 cup of cooking water and place aside. Drain pasta. Place drained pasta back in pan it was cooked in, without the water.
Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the pasta and toss. If you are adding the optional spinach, add it now and toss pasta. Sprinkle pasta with some grated cheese and toss.
Very slowly add the reserved cooking water to the egg mixture. Temper the water into the egg mixture first, using a whisk and a drizzle of water, then you can add a bit more water to create a thick drizzle. Whisk completely.
Add whisked water and egg mixture to the pasta. Toss pasta to completely coat and cover. you want the mixture to just cover the pasta.
Add pasta and its mixture to the oiled baking bowl or tray. Place in center of pre-heated oven. Cover. Bake covered for 20 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 20-25 minutes. You want to see small bubbles and golden color at the sides of the pasta, the center should be spongy to the touch.
Allow to set and cool for at least 25 minutes before eating. Enjoy warm or room temperature. Keeps well in fridge for a few days.
Kitchen Tip: Freeze the yolks and use later defrosted for baking cookies. Cookie batter can handle the heaviness of yolk as the only egg in the batter.
“Pastieri Baked Pasta” by Liz Conforti, Kitchen Wisdom Gluten Free(c) 2013
Serve with Kitchen Wisdom Gluten Free Recipes
Cream of Asparagus (Non-dairy)
Visit Kitchen Wisdom Gluten Free:
Facebook Pinterest Twitter Google+ Instagram Tumblr
BUY Kitchen Wisdom Gluten Free
Kitchen Wisdom Gluten Free: Journey into a Culinary Cultural Evolution &
Learn How to Transform Southern Italian Recipes to Gluten Free
Kindle Paperback
Kitchen Wisdom Gluten Free: Journey into a Culinary Cultural Evolution & Learn How to Transform Southern Italian Recipes to Gluten Free…Experience a Kitchen so Delicious, Those Who Can Eat Gluten Choose Not To! Available formats: eBook, & Paperback; On amazon.com, and at Select Vermont Retailers.
Kitchen Wisdom Gluten Free 