Anelletti Al Forno – Oven Baked Pasta Rings

For a food-prep, ready to bake pasta dish, this delicious anelletti al forno fits the bill. oven baked pasta rings in a simple meat ragu, cooked to perfection with Mozzarella and pecorino. It’s simple and delicious!

Italian food is simple, and none more than this delicious little treat from Sicily, Anelletti Al Forno. Anellini, meaning 'rings' in Italian are the pasta base for this super-simple baked dish.

A meat ragu creates a tangy tomato sauce that the rings are only too happy to soak up - when baked in the oven, smothered in stringy mozzarella and sharp salty pecorino the dish comes together to form a melty, rich delight!

What's Ahead?

What are Anelletti?

Anelletti are a type of pasta originating from Sicily, Italy. They are small, ring-shaped pasta resembling tiny doughnuts or rings. Anelletti are often used in various Sicilian dishes, particularly in baked pasta dishes like "pasta al forno" or "pasta al forno Siciliana." They are also commonly used in soups and pasta salads.

Anelletti pasta is versatile and can be paired with a variety of sauces and ingredients, making it a popular choice in Italian home cooking. They go under the names Anelli Siciliani, Anelli, Anellini or Anelletti, and are found in an array of sizes .

December 11 - National Noodle Ring Day

Did you know that December 11 is National Noodle Ring Day? It's the perfect day and time of year to celebrate with this simple and delicious Anelletti Al Forno recipe! Buon Apetito!

Why it works?

It's comforting and satisfying: Baked pasta dishes like anelletti al forno are inherently hearty and comforting. When baking, this aromatic dish permeates every corner of the house and the anticipation of all that melted cheese is almost too much!

Stuff You'll Need

This is a game of two halves. First you'll need to make a simple ragu, and then you'll need to bake the pasta in the ragu with cheese to form the final 'al forno' (in the oven) dish. Here's what you'll need.

• For the ragù - we cook the ground (minced) beef and pork with onion, sage, garlic, red wine, tomato, salt and pepper. You can use either beef or pork or a combination of both for extra flavour.
• For the aneletti al forno - we use anelletti pasta rings, mozzarella and pecorino cheese and a little more seasoning.

Step by Step

Making the dish is easy here's how it's done. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF

• Step 1: In a large saucepan, sauté onion and sage until soft (3-4 mins).
• Step 2: Add garlic, minced beef, and pork. Sauté until browned, then add red wine.
• Step 3: Allow alcohol to burn off for 1 min. Add tomato, water, salt & pepper.
• Step 4: Simmer uncovered for 30 mins. Discard sage when done.
• Step 5: Cook pasta in boiling salted water, 3 mins less than packet instructions.
• Step 6: Reserve a couple of cups of pasta water, drain anellini rings, stir into sauce.
• Step 7: Spread pasta in dish, top with mozzarella and pecorino.
• Step 8: Drizzle with olive oil, bake uncovered at 25 mins or until browned. Serve hot!

Pro Tips

• Oven baked pastas are an excellent alternative to regular pasta, and excellent for large groups. This recipe could happily serve 8 regular people (not greedy people) and that's a whole lot less fuss than cooking a bowl of regular pasta for 8! If you were to freeze the Anelletti, stop short of baking it, be sure to wrap it tightly with foil or plastic. It will be good for 2-3 months.
• When it comes time to cook, from frozen you're looking at around a 60-80 minute cook time at 375ºF/180ºc. Cover the dish in foil for the first 30 minutes then remove for the final 30.
• Another tip from frozen - the dish may be a little drier than a fresh batch (the pasta will continue to soak up any moisture), add a few drizzles of water or stock (about 1/2 cup) to the side of the dish before cooking.

Serving & Storage Suggestions

I like to serve a simple salad alongside this baked pasta. I have a couple of go-to Italian salads that work well: try my crunchy Radicchio Salad with Pear, Walnut & Gorgonzola Dressing or the sweet and light Peach & Burrata Salad. You could also serve with a simple Heirloom Tomato Salad.

• Leftovers - will be fine, well covered in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until piping hot. Add a couple of tablespoons of water or broth over the pasta before reheating to keep it moist as the sauce will continue to be absorbed by the pasta during its time in the fridge.
• Freeze - you can freeze leftover portions in airtight containers for 3+ months. Reheat from frozen in a microwave. Add a few tablespoons of water before reheating to help keep it moist. Heat until piping hot.
• Freeze before cooking - You can assemble the dish and freeze (well covered in plastic wrap or foil) before baking. To reheat either defrost and cook as per the recipe or cook from frozen for 60-80 minutes 375ºF/180ºc. from frozen, cover with foil and remove for the final 30 minutes of cooking. Check for doneness to ensure all is piping hot inside.

Ready to get cooking?

This traditional al forno anelletti is a simple and tasty pasta dish that takes all the fuss out of serving pasta for the masses. Simple place this dish on the table and let everyone help themselves. Kids love this one and if you're so inclined you can easily hide one or two extra vegetables in the sauce for them.

This is also a dish I like to have in portions in the freezer and makes for a quick and easy lunch or mid-week dinner with a nice crunchy salad. I hope you enjoy!

More of my favourite Italian recipes

If you enjoyed this anelletti al forno recipe, here are some more of my delicious Italian recipes to try at home.

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