The six months I spent working in a Roman restaurant kitchen gave me both a wonderfully colorful Italian vocabulary and an appreciation for Italian cooking’s basic techniques. The cooks at the restaurant rarely used measuring spoons or specific recipes. Instead, they prepared almost every dish by following a traditional method they had been taught and then added their own personal touches along the way.

I’ve assimilated this easy-going approach into the way I cook. There are times to be exact, and others when a basic method and a little creativity will suffice. Baked pasta is an example of the latter. I love to make baked pasta in the cold winter months, especially with a lot of friends and family around during the holidays. But I never make the exact same version twice. By sticking to the method but varying my ingredients, I get a different delicious dish each time.

The formula for baked pasta is quite simple. While the pasta cooks, brown your choice of flavor bases—meats, mushrooms, or onions (or a combination)—and make a sauce by adding puréed canned tomatoes, cream, or a combination. Once the pasta and sauce are done, toss them together with some vegetables if you like, top with cheese (and perhaps some breadcrumbs), and then brown in a hot oven. In a short time, you’ll have a hearty dish with a golden brown, melted crust that blankets a warming mix of pasta, vegetables, and meats.

Baked Pasta Master Recipe

Serves 6

Get ready to cook

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F. Put a large pot with6 quarts waterand2 Tbs. kosher salton to boil. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with1 Tbs. olive oil.

Brown the flavor bases one at a time

Whatever you choose here gets braised in your sauce until tender and intensely flavored. Choose chicken and sausage for a hearty dish, or go vegetarian.

Heat2 Tbs. olive oilin a 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven or heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, about 1 minute, addone of the flavor bases(see options below) and1/4 tsp. kosher saltand cook, stirring occasionally, until almost cooked through and nicely browned, about 5 to 10 minutes. If you’re only using one flavor base, use a spatula or wooden spoon to push the contents of the Dutch oven to the side. If the pan is dry, add1 Tbs. oil, and then1 to 2 cloves of minced garlicand cook until it just starts to sizzle and becomes fragrant, about 10 seconds. If you’re usinga second flavor base、转让第一个开槽spoo一碗n, add another2 Tbs. olive oilto the pan, and brown the second flavor base as above. Once the second flavor base is ready, return the first to the Dutch oven and cook the garlic as directed.

Add the sauce and simmer

Tomato sauce is classic but cream and chicken broth makes a rich, decadent sauce. Or, split the difference with a tomato-and-cream pink sauce.

Addthe sauce(see options below), plus1 tsp. kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, so that the sauce thickens slightly.

Red sauce: two 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes, drained of 1 cup of their combined juices and then puréed in a blender or food processor

Pink sauce: two 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes, drained of 1 cup of their combined juices and then puréed in a blender or food processor, plus 1/2 cup heavy cream

White sauce: 1-1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth plus 1 cup heavy cream

Season and simmer the sauce

Liven up your sauce with some fresh herbs, a splash of vinegar, or chunky piquant addidions like olives or sun-dried tomatoes.

Add your choice ofsauce enhancers(see options below) and cook until they’re heated through and their flavors have melded, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.

Sherry: 2 Tbs.	Balsamic vinegar: 2 Tbs.	Pitted, coarsely chopped olives (preferably Kalamata): 1/4 cup
Drained, thinly sliced Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes: 1/4 cup	Dried red chile flakes: 1/4 to 1/2 tsp.	Coarsely chopped fresh basil: 1/4 cup
Coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley: 1/4 cup	Coarsely chopped fresh rosemary: 1 Tbs.	Coarsely chopped fresh thyme: 1 Tbs.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta

Short, chunky pasta types are best for these recipes, since they’ll catch lots of sauce and other tidbits like sausage or vegetables.

Cook1 lb. of the dried pastaof your choice (see options below) in the boiling salted water until it’s just tender to the tooth, about 10 minutes. Cook the pasta a little less than you normally might because it will cook more in the oven later.

Campanelle	Farfalle	Fusilli
Gemelli	或ecchiette	Penne rigate
Rigatoni	Ziti

Add the pasta and vegetables, if using, to the sauce

Vegetables add color and texture to a baked pasta–not to mention vitamins and fiber.

Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce, along with your choice ofvegetables(see the options below).

Add cheese

Balance strong cheeses like Gorgonzola with milder ones like Fontina or Mozzarella.

Add6 oz. of your cheeses(see options below) to the pasta mixture and toss well. Transfer to the baking dish and spread evenly.

Top and bake

Breadcrumbs are optional, but they make a great finish. Use coarse, fresh breadcrumbs (good crusty bread pulsed in a food processor) or panko.

Top the pasta withthe remaining 6 oz. cheeseand (if you like)1/2 cup of fresh breadcrumbs, seasoned withsalt and pepper. Bake until the cheese is golden brown and the breadcrumbs (if using) are crisp, about 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.