Baked
Baked Whole Wheat Pasta with Tomato & Mozzarella
A wholesome weekend bake — whole wheat penne stays meaningfully toothsome under bubbling mozzarella and a basil-flecked tomato sauce. Deeper flavour, more fibre, the same satisfaction.
Ingredients
- 400gCibo di Italia Whole Wheat Penne
- 800gchopped tomatoes — two tins
- 4tbspolive oil
- 1piecemedium onion — finely chopped
- 4piecesgarlic cloves — finely chopped
- 2tbsptomato paste
- 1tspdried oregano
- 1/2tspchilli flakes — optional
- 250gfresh mozzarella — torn into pieces
- 60gparmesan — finely grated
- 1piecesmall handful basil — leaves torn
- to tastesalt and black pepper
Method
Step 1.Heat the oven to 200°C fan. Bring 4 litres of salted water to a boil and cook the whole wheat penne for 7 minutes — under al dente; it finishes in the oven. Drain.
7 min
Step 2.In a wide pan, heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook 6 minutes until soft.
6 min
Step 3.Stir in the garlic, oregano, chilli flakes and tomato paste; cook 90 seconds until fragrant.
2 min
Step 4.Pour in both tins of tomatoes and half a tin of water. Simmer 10 minutes until thickened. Season generously.
10 min
Step 5.Tear most of the basil into the sauce, off the heat.
1 min
Step 6.Fold the drained pasta through the sauce. Scrape into a 2-litre baking dish. Scatter the mozzarella and parmesan over the top and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
2 min
Step 7.Bake for 22 minutes until the cheese is golden and the sauce bubbles up the sides of the dish.
22 min
Step 8.Rest 5 minutes. Scatter the rest of the basil and a final grind of pepper to serve.
5 min
Goes well with
Lemon-basil fizz — sparkling water, lemon juice and a few crushed basil leaves.
A green salad with cucumber, red onion and a sharp vinaigrette.
Roasted plums with vanilla yoghurt and toasted oats.
The pasta we used
Cibo di Italia Whole Wheat Penne
500g · Cooks in 10–12 minutes · Serves ~5
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