Maltese Baked Pasta
This easy casserole features tender pasta baked in a meaty, herby, parmesan-spiked sauce. Influenced by Maltese cooking (a savory blend of Sicilian, North African, and Mediterranean flavors), it’s packed with incredible flavor. And while the ingredient list might appear a tad long, most items are pantry staples.
I just returned from a trip to Malta and, I’ll admit, I was completely floored by the food. I had no idea the cuisine had so many layers, and that it was influenced by many, many other countries. For example, in this dish, classic Italian flavors (oregano, tomatoes, parmesan cheese, red wine) are coupled with curry, paprika, and nutmeg – spices more closely affiliated with North African and Mediterranean cuisine. All the flavors marry perfectly together, creating an explosion of deliciousness on the palate.
And, while the flavors are globally inspired, the ingredients are all readily available. I truly hope you try this unique dish – it’s show-stopping.
Choose your favorite pasta shape for this recipe. The classic shape for this dish is penne, but you can use what you already have on hand. I only suggest tube-shape pasta so the sauce works its way inside each noodle.
Swap in ground chicken or turkey for the beef if you want. The classic choice for this dish is ground beef or ground pork, but you can easily use ground chicken or ground turkey if you prefer poultry.
What should you serve with this Maltese baked pasta? This dish is almost a complete meal on its own – pasta, beef, vegetables. If you want to round things out (or stretch the meal), add a crisp green salad and some warm bread.
Maltese Baked Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 pound lean ground beef, or ground pork
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- Salt and black pepper
- 1/3 cup red wine
- 14.5- ounce can diced tomatoes, regular or petite-diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound penne, or tube-shape pasta of choice
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray or a thin layer of olive oil.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
- Add the tomato paste, oregano, paprika, curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the red wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- When the wine is almost completely gone (evaporated), add the tomatoes and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions, until al dente, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water when draining. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, and nutmeg.
- Remove the beef mixture from the heat, remove the bay leaves, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Gradually add the milk mixture to the beef mixture, stirring constantly.
- Fold the pasta and reserved 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water into the beef mixture.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and top with the remaining parmesan cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown (the goal is crispy, golden brown pasta on top).
- Cool for 5 minutes before serving.