Description
Baked Anelletti, or Timballo di Anelletti, is a classic Sicilian comfort dish made with tiny ring-shaped pasta baked in a rich meat sauce and often layered with cheese and peas. This hearty, golden-topped pasta pie is traditionally served during Sunday lunches and festive occasions, showcasing Sicily’s love for bold flavors and satisfying textures. Keywords: baked anelletti, timballo di anelletti, Sicilian pasta bake.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 400g (14 oz) anelletti pasta (or substitute with ditalini if unavailable)
- 300g (10.5 oz) ground beef
- 200g (7 oz) ground pork
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 2 cups tomato passata (or crushed tomatoes)
- 100g (3.5 oz) peas (fresh or frozen)
- 200g (7 oz) mozzarella cheese, diced
- 100g (3.5 oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Olive oil, for cooking
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Butter and breadcrumbs, for the baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter a large baking dish and coat it with breadcrumbs.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onion, carrot, and celery until soft.
- Add ground beef and pork, cooking until browned. Stir in tomato paste, passata, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes, adding peas in the last 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook anelletti pasta in salted boiling water until very al dente (about 2 minutes less than package directions). Drain and toss with a little olive oil.
- Mix the cooked pasta with the meat sauce, mozzarella, and half of the Parmesan cheese.
- Transfer half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Add a few extra cubes of mozzarella if desired. Cover with the remaining pasta.
- Sprinkle the top with the remaining Parmesan cheese and additional breadcrumbs.
- Bake for about 30–35 minutes, until golden and crispy on top.
- Let the timballo rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Traditional Sicilian versions often add diced hard-boiled eggs or small pieces of salami to the filling.
- Allowing the baked pasta to rest before slicing helps maintain its shape.
- Anelletti pasta is essential for authenticity but small pasta shapes can be substituted if needed.
Nutrition
- Calories: ~520 per serving
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
