Baked pasta alla Tranese from Puglia.
Pasta alla Tranese is a delicious baked pasta recipe from Puglia made with marinated tomatoes and stracciatelle cheese. I think it's one of the best baked pasta recipes I know!
Pasta alla Tranese al forno.
Regular visitors to my blog have, most probably, realized baking is one of my favourite ways to cook pasta (Italians say pasta al forno- in the oven). Of course, I love other pasta recipes, especially different pesto sauces and seafood pasta dishes. But, baked pasta has long been a firm favourite of mine! And, I love discovering different ways to make it.
Interestingly, baked pasta isn’t common in restaurants here where I live in Northern Italy, apart from lasagne al forno with Bolognese. However, it is a very popular way of serving pasta at home, especially on Sundays or holidays. And, most Italian regions have their own particular baked pasta recipes.
On a recent search for an original recipe for baked pasta, I came across this recipe called ‘pasta alla Tranese’. This baked pasta recipe is supposedly from Trani, a historic fishing port in Puglia, southern Italy, between Bari and Barletta on the Adriatic coast. I say supposedly because there seem to be different versions of this recipe.
The cheese.
The version I chose to cook includes stracciatella, a delicious soft creamy cheese with a decidedly sweet taste. In fact, stracciatelle is better-known as the interior and, in my opinion, the best and tastiest part of burrata. However, other versions use mozzarella and some only have grated pecorino and Parmigiano.
What makes this baked pasta alla Tranese special?
The main feature of pasta alla Tranese recipe is the use of raw tomatoes. These are halved and left to marinate in salt, garlic and basil prior to baking. The tomatoes aren’t cooked before the pasta dish goes into the oven. Some people mix them with the half-cooked pasta in the oven dish. Others, as in the case of my recipe, use these tomatoes for the top layer of the dish.
I think the inclusion of stracciatella and that layer of raw marinated tomatoes, make this one of the best baked pastas I have eaten in a long time. I’m sure you’ll feel the same if you try it!
Other ingredients.
Apart from the marinated tomatoes and the stracciatella, this baked pasta alla Tranese includes a homemade tomato sauce, plus some grated Parmigiano and pecorino. You'll also need an onion, a clove of garlic, some breadcrumbs and some parsley. And, that's just about it! Baked pasta doesn't get much simpler or tastier than this!
The pasta.
You can use any medium sized tube pasta to make pasta alla Tranese. I used mezze maniche rigate, meaning grooved half sleeves! This pasta is made by a company called Garofalo from Gragnano near Naples. However, you could also use mezzi paccheri rigate, meaning half paccheri with grooves. Pasta tubes such as rigatoni, occhi di lupo and penne rigate would work well too.
If you do try this pasta alla Tranese recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Please write a comment here on the blog or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.
Your feedback means a lot to me!
Buon Appetito!
Other Vegetarian baked pasta recipes here on The Pasta Project.
- Baked white lasagna with mushrooms and burrata
- Classic ricotta and spinach stuffed pasta shells
- Cheesy baked pasta shells
- Ricotta and basil filled paccheri
- Lasagna alla Norma
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Baked Pasta alla Tranese
Ingredients
- 500 g cherry tomatoes (1.1lbs) or datterini
- 4-5 basil leaves torn into pieces
- 500 g pasta tubes (1.1lbs) I used mezzi maniche rigate from Garofalo
- 300 g fresh stracciatella cheese (10.5oz)
- 45 g pecorino (1.5oz) grated
- 45 g Parmesan (1.5oz) grated
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- breadcrumbs as required
- black pepper to taste
For the tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion peeled and finely chopped
- 500 g ripe tomatoes (1.1lbs) blanched, peeled, deseeded and chopped or 1 bottle 700 g (1.5lbs) passata ( I prefer to use passata rustica which is thicker than classic passata)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- salt for pasta and to taste
- fresh parsley (for serving)
Instructions
Make the tomato sauce
- Fry the chopped onion in a little olive oil until translucent
- Add the passata or chopped peeled tomatoes, a pinch of salt and the sugar to reduce the acidity
- Simmer over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
Make the main dish
- Halve the 500 grams cherry tomatoes and put them to marinate in a bowl with the crushed garlic, basil and a pinch of salt.
- Half cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water, drain and mix with the tomato sauce after keeping aside enough sauce to layer the bottom of your oven dish.
- Ladle the saved sauce into the bottom of an oven dish (earthenware is traditional if you have one).
- Spread a layer of pasta with sauce and season with pecorino and parmesan cheese and half the stracciatella cut into pieces.
- Add a second layer of pasta, seasoned with cheese (pecorino, parmesan and stracciatella) and finish with a layer of pasta.
- Cover the last layer with the marinated cherry tomatoes, garlic and basil
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs and some more grated cheese on top, drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake at 180°c (356°F) for 45 minutes until you will have formed a nice crust on the well-roasted tomatoes.
- Remove from oven, let stand and serve sprinkled with some fresh parsley as required
Notes
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally published in 2017 but has been updated with new photos and text.
Des says
I can't wait to give this a try. I have added it to my menu for next week. Thank you!
jac says
We love baked pasta dishes here. I can't wait to give this one a try it seriously sounds amazing!
Leanne @ Crumb Top Baking says
This is such a delicious way to use all the fresh tomatoes I've been buying lately! And with fall around the corner, we'll be looking for hearty meals like this baked pasta to round out our weekly dinners!
Charity says
I love taking a virtual culinary trip! Wish I could travel to Italy for real, but until then, I can make an authentic pasta dish! Thanks for the recipe!
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
You know, I don't bake my pasta as much as I would like. You are definitely inspiring me to change that!
Michel Bonnet says
Hi Jacqueline,
You have so many pasta sauces recipes that I don't know where to begin!
They are all so delicious - thank you.
I like to make my sauces with Italian red wine - here and there.
But your sauces have no red wine - why?
Can you add red wine to some of your sauces? If so, which?, when? and how much?
I would be grateful for your guidance.
Thank you.
Michel
Jacqui says
Hi Michel. Thanks for your comment. I'm happy you like my blog. There are recipes on The Pasta Project that include red wine. Those which come to mind without having to check all my recipes are lamb ragu Molisana, pasta with venison or wild boar, corzetti with Genovese meat sauce. Also Orecchiette with braciole and pasta with braised pork ribs can be made with red or white. In general. I follow Italian recipes. I don't invent them. However, if eiher red or white can be used I prefer to use white. Italians don't used red wine in recipes with seafood, vegetarian recipes, white ragu recipes, recipes with a lot of cheese or soups! Red wine is used in heavier red meat dishes, particularly those which are slow cooked and have tomatoes in the sauce. Hope this answers your question. Have a nice weekend.
Sharon says
This is such an easy pasta dish but so full of flavor! The perfect comfort food.
Mama Maggie's Kitchen says
My mouth is watering. I have to make this tonight! I love that it is made with marinated tomatoes and stracciatelle cheese.
Amanda says
I always love a baked pasta dish. It just feels even cozier than a stove-top pasta. Thanks so much for another delicious recipe!
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
Those fresh tomatoes would be SO good in this pasta. So fresh and summery. I love baked pastas - the hands off part is my favorite!
Demeter says
Looks wonderful! It's always great to learn a new way to make pasta. 🙂
Claudia Lamascolo says
These photos are fabulous as I am sure this meal is, sure is right up my alley!
Cindy @ A Uniquely Edible Magic says
Baked pasta is one of my favourite dishes to make! Looking forward to making this for more dinners in the future.
kim says
I love baked pasta and this has the best flavor! So easy and tasty! I'll be making this one again for sure!
Danielle Wolter says
This sounds incredible! I definitely want to try making that sauce with the fresh tomatoes!
Carissa Shaw says
This looks fantastic! I just happen to have this kind of pasta in my pantry, so now I know what to make. Thanks for a great recipe!
SHANIKA says
I love making Baked Pasta! It's such an easy yet flavorful meal for the entire family! This looks yummy!
Noelle says
Delicious baked pasta dish!! Will be making again soon, huge hit with the family the first time!
Lauren Vavala | Delicious Little Bites says
I love that this is a simple Italian recipe with such great flavors. It's perfect for a family meal or entertaining. The fresh tomatoes are my favorite part! Great recipe!
Caroline says
Awesome Jacque, looks divine!
admin says
Thanks so much Caroline! I hope that you'll try this scrumptious recipe and let me know how it turns out! If you want to be notified when I post new stuff, do subscribe to my newsletter. All the best. Jacqui