Anelletti pasta cake

DifficultyIntermediate

In Italy this would be 'Timballo di Anelletti' or' Anelletti alla Palermitana' and is often translated as a pasta pie however as the final cooking process uses a cake tin then I've chosen to call it Anelletti pasta cake instead.
As with any traditional Italian pasta dish there are of course many variations, you can add small cubes of diced and fried aubergine into the mix, or even chopped boiled eggs and small chunks of ham. The main focus here though is to make a nice thick rich ragu and by all means use all beef if you have no pork or even some veal instead if you'd like. If you can make you're own rich tomato sauce then all the better if not then please make sure you buy a quality tomato sauce or passatta.

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Prep Time30 minsCook Time2 hrsTotal Time2 hrs 30 mins
Serves 4 hearty portions
 4 tbsp Olive oil
 1 Onion finely chopped
 1 Carrot finely chopped
 1 Stick of celery finely chopped
 3 Cloves garlic finely chopped
 ½ tsp Chilli flakes (optional) or indeed add 1 tsp
 250 g Beef mince
 250 g Pork Mince
 2 tbsp Tomato puree
 400 ml Red wine
 400 ml Tomato sauce/passatta
 Small bunch of basil, leaves roughly torn
 200 g Frozen peas
 Salt and pepper
 300 g Anelletti pasta
 Butter for greasing
 50 g Dried breadcrumbs/panko
 50 g Dried Parmesan
 1 Mozzarella ball drained and chopped into small chunks
 100 g Grated Cheese - Provolone/Cheddar/Gruyere
You will also need a 22cm Savarin ring cake tin or a standard 22cm Springform cake tin
1

Heat the oil in a sauce pan and then add all the vegetables.

2

Lightly fry for approx. 10 minutes until soft and starting to brown.

3

Turn the heat up slightly and add all the meat, cook whilst stirring until nicely brown for approx. 6-8 minutes.

4

Add the chilli flakes if using and stir through.

5

Add the tomato puree and stir through for 2-3 minutes.

6

Add the red wine and simmer until halved.

7

Add the tomato sauce/passatta and continue to simmer.

8

Add the basil and the peas and season well then continue to simmer until you have a nice rich thick ragu.

9

Cook your anelletti in plenty of salted water until about ¾ cooked, according to the time on your packet, you want them el dente as they will cook further in the oven, drain well and mix into the ragu.

10

Heat your oven to 190c / fan 170.

11

Grease your tin with the butter.

12

Mix the breadcrumbs with the parmesan and separate into a 40g and a 60g measure.

13

Use the 60g measure to sprinkle over the butter and line the base and side of your tin.

14

Spoon the pasta into your tin a spoonful at a time dotting with the mozzarella and sprinkling with the grated cheddar as you go, finish with a layer of ragu and pasta and finally the remaining 40g of parmesan/breadcrumbs pressing it all firmly down into the tins.

15

Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and crunchy.

16

If you are eating it straight away, leave in the tin for a few minutes before turning it out onto a plate, depending on what kind of tin you are using and serve on it’s on or accompanied with a fresh green salad and punchy vinaigrette.
II you are leaving it to eat cold then leave it in the tin to cool and then refrigerate. Remove it from the tin when you are ready to eat it.

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Ingredients

Serves 4 hearty portions
 4 tbsp Olive oil
 1 Onion finely chopped
 1 Carrot finely chopped
 1 Stick of celery finely chopped
 3 Cloves garlic finely chopped
 ½ tsp Chilli flakes (optional) or indeed add 1 tsp
 250 g Beef mince
 250 g Pork Mince
 2 tbsp Tomato puree
 400 ml Red wine
 400 ml Tomato sauce/passatta
 Small bunch of basil, leaves roughly torn
 200 g Frozen peas
 Salt and pepper
 300 g Anelletti pasta
 Butter for greasing
 50 g Dried breadcrumbs/panko
 50 g Dried Parmesan
 1 Mozzarella ball drained and chopped into small chunks
 100 g Grated Cheese - Provolone/Cheddar/Gruyere
You will also need a 22cm Savarin ring cake tin or a standard 22cm Springform cake tin

Directions

1

Heat the oil in a sauce pan and then add all the vegetables.

2

Lightly fry for approx. 10 minutes until soft and starting to brown.

3

Turn the heat up slightly and add all the meat, cook whilst stirring until nicely brown for approx. 6-8 minutes.

4

Add the chilli flakes if using and stir through.

5

Add the tomato puree and stir through for 2-3 minutes.

6

Add the red wine and simmer until halved.

7

Add the tomato sauce/passatta and continue to simmer.

8

Add the basil and the peas and season well then continue to simmer until you have a nice rich thick ragu.

9

Cook your anelletti in plenty of salted water until about ¾ cooked, according to the time on your packet, you want them el dente as they will cook further in the oven, drain well and mix into the ragu.

10

Heat your oven to 190c / fan 170.

11

Grease your tin with the butter.

12

Mix the breadcrumbs with the parmesan and separate into a 40g and a 60g measure.

13

Use the 60g measure to sprinkle over the butter and line the base and side of your tin.

14

Spoon the pasta into your tin a spoonful at a time dotting with the mozzarella and sprinkling with the grated cheddar as you go, finish with a layer of ragu and pasta and finally the remaining 40g of parmesan/breadcrumbs pressing it all firmly down into the tins.

15

Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and crunchy.

16

If you are eating it straight away, leave in the tin for a few minutes before turning it out onto a plate, depending on what kind of tin you are using and serve on it’s on or accompanied with a fresh green salad and punchy vinaigrette.
II you are leaving it to eat cold then leave it in the tin to cool and then refrigerate. Remove it from the tin when you are ready to eat it.

Anelletti pasta cake

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