Maccheroni al Gratin
Baked pasta in béchamel, no tomato
Short pasta dressed in béchamel and Parmigiano, layered with fiordilatte, topped with more cheese and a scatter of breadcrumbs, and baked until the top turns golden. No tomato, no ragù — just cheese, cream, and pasta, closer to a Neapolitan idea of mac and cheese than to the heavier baked pastas on this blog.
This is the plainest of the baked pastas at home — no tomato sauce, no meatballs, no ricotta. Just pasta dressed simply with butter and Parmigiano, then combined with a not-too-thick besciamella and cubes of fiordilatte, packed into a buttered dish, topped with more cheese and a splash of cold milk to keep it from drying out, and baked until the surface turns golden. It sits somewhere between a French gratin and what an American kitchen would recognize as baked mac and cheese, though the béchamel and Parmigiano push it in a more classically Italian direction.
A handful of dried mushrooms, soaked and chopped, is a common addition, folded into the béchamel along with a little of their soaking liquid for extra depth — the kind of variation that turns a simple weeknight bake into something worth serving to guests without much more effort.
No tomato, no ragù — just béchamel, Parmigiano, and melting fiordilatte between layers of pasta, baked until the top gratinates. The plainest and quietest of the baked pastas.
The recipe
For six.
Maccheroni al gratin — pasta, béchamel, and a golden crust. Click to enlarge.
450 gMezzani or other short pasta
50 gButter, plus more for the dish
150 g, gratedParmigiano
200 g, cubedFiordilatte (mozzarella)
A scrapeNutmeg
A few tablespoonsBreadcrumbs
½ cup, coldMilk
To tasteSalt
OptionalDried porcini, soaked and chopped
1
Make the besciamella a little on the thin side, seasoning it with salt and nutmeg. If using, fold in the soaked and chopped dried porcini along with a little of their soaking liquid.
2
Cook the pasta very al dente and drain. Toss immediately with half the butter and about a third of the Parmigiano.
3
Butter a baking dish about 25 cm across. Spread half the pasta in an even layer, scatter with Parmigiano and a little béchamel, then arrange the mozzarella cubes over it. Cover with the remaining pasta, then the rest of the béchamel, spreading it so it reaches into the corners.
4
Scatter the remaining Parmigiano over the top, pour the cold milk over evenly, and finish with a dusting of breadcrumbs and a few small pieces of butter.
5
Bake in a hot oven until the surface is golden, about 10 minutes. Let it rest a few minutes before serving.
Related
Besciamella
The base sauce this recipe depends on — how to make it and get the consistency right. See
the full recipe.
Pasta al Forno Napoletana
The heavier, tomato-and-meatball relative of this dish. See
the full recipe.
Buon appetito.
