One of Sicily’s most iconic comfort foods, anelletti al forno (or timballo di anelletti) is a baked pasta timbale made with tiny ring-shaped pasta (anelletti), slow-cooked meat ragù, peas, caciocavallo cheese and optional add-ins like fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs and provola. It’s a celebration dish, usually made for Sundays, holidays or special occasions — but perfect anytime you want to bring bold Sicilian flavors to the table. Baked until golden and crisp on top, this hearty dish slices beautifully and feeds a crowd.
Baked Anelletti
(Anelletti al Forno or Timballo di Anelletti)
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) anelletti pasta
- 300–400 g (10–14 oz) mixed ground beef and pork
- 1 cup cooked peas
- Ragù (made from the ground meat, tomato sauce, onion, celery, carrots, olive oil, salt, pepper)
- Caciocavallo cheese, sliced or grated (or substitute provolone)
- Optional: fried eggplant slices, hard-boiled eggs (cut in pieces), provola cheese
- Butter (for greasing the baking dish)
Instructions
- Prepare a ragù by slowly cooking the ground beef and pork with tomato sauce, onion, celery, carrots, olive oil, salt and pepper. Separately, cook the peas until tender.
- Boil the anelletti in salted water until very “al dente”. Drain and toss with part of the ragù.
- Grease a baking dish with butter. Add a first layer of anelletti, then cover with more ragù, peas, slices of caciocavallo and (if using) fried eggplant, pieces of hard-boiled egg and provola.
- Add a second layer of anelletti and repeat. Finish with a generous sprinkle of grated caciocavallo on top.
- Bake in a hot oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 20 minutes, until the top is golden and crispy. Let rest briefly before slicing and serving.
Grandma & Aunties’ Kitchen Wisdom:
«The more generous you are with the filling layers, the richer and more festive the dish becomes! For best results, make the ragù the day before — the flavors deepen beautifully overnight»
