Sicilian Baked Pasta (Pasta 'ncasciata)
Pasta 'ncasciata Say it: pah-stah n-kah-SHAH-tah
Pasta 'ncasciata is Sicily's celebratory baked pasta, a golden timbale of tiny anelletti or ditalini tossed with slow-cooked meat ragù, peas, caciocavallo, salami and hard-boiled egg, then wrapped in fried eggplant and baked until crisp. It is served for Sunday lunch, Easter and other feast days across the island. The name means 'pasta in a box,' and the first slice reveals a mosaic of flavors—sweet tomato, savory pork, creamy cheese and smoky eggplant.
Sicilian Baked Pasta (Pasta 'ncasciata)
Pasta 'ncasciata
Pronounced pah-stah n-kah-SHAH-tah
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 40 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg, celery. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the ragù
For the assembly
Method
Salt the eggplant slices lightly and let them drain in a colander for 20 minutes. Rinse, pat dry, then fry in batches in olive oil over medium heat until golden on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
Make the ragù. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery; cook, stirring, until soft and starting to brown, 8-10 minutes. Add the beef and pork, breaking up with a spoon, and cook until no longer pink.
Pour in the wine and cook until it evaporates, about 2 minutes. Stir in the passata, salt, pepper and basil. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Add the peas and simmer 10 minutes more. Remove from heat and discard the basil.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water until 2 minutes less than the package time (very al dente). Drain well and return to the pot. Add the ragù, cubed caciocavallo, salami and half the grated cheese; toss well.
Butter a 10-inch (25 cm) springform pan or deep round ovenproof dish and coat with about 2 tbsp of the breadcrumbs. Line the bottom and sides with the fried eggplant slices, overlapping slightly and letting them hang over the edge. Fill with half the pasta mixture, arrange the sliced eggs over it, then top with the remaining pasta. Fold any overhanging eggplant over the top.
Mix the remaining breadcrumbs and grated cheese; sprinkle over the top. Dot with butter. Bake until deeply golden and crisp on top, 30-35 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before removing the ring or slicing; serve warm.
Regional variants
Some families add a little béchamel or use only ground beef; others skip the eggplant and bake the pasta in a rectangular dish with extra breadcrumbs and a layer of sliced hard-boiled eggs.
Cook's notes
- If you can't find anelletti, use ditalini, small penne, or even broken spaghetti; the ring shape holds the sauce best.
- Make the ragù a day ahead to deepen flavor and save time on baking day.
- For a crispier top, place the baked pasta under the broiler for 1-2 minutes at the end, watching closely.
Serve with
Serve with a simple green salad and a glass of Sicilian red wine, such as Nero d'Avola.
Make ahead and storage
Cool completely, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat slices in a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot, or microwave individual portions.
