Name: Imqarrun il-Forn (Maltese Baked Pasta)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 40 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Maltese
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing; 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced; 85 g bacon or pancetta, chopped; 450 g minced beef or pork, or half and half; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1½ tsp salt; 1 tsp dried oregano; ½ tsp curry powder; ½ tsp paprika; ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for topping; 2 bay leaves; 80 ml red wine; 400 g tin of diced tomatoes; 450 g dried penne or other tubular pasta; 160 ml milk; 2 large eggs; 55 g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for topping; 1 pinch nutmeg, freshly grated

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Stir in the garlic and cook until just fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the bacon and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the fat has rendered.
1 min
Add the minced meat, breaking it up into small pieces with a spoon, and cook until browned.
Stir in the tomato paste, salt, oregano, curry powder, paprika, black pepper and bay leaves. Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze. Simmer for a few minutes until the wine has reduced by half, then pour in the diced tomatoes.
Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes, until the tomatoes have started to break down and form a thickened sauce. If the sauce becomes too thick to stir, add a splash of water.
45 mins
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Grease a 23 × 33cm baking dish with olive oil.
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost al dente, nearly tender. Drain and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, Parmesan and nutmeg.
Remove the sauce from the heat and discard the bay leaves. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Stir the milk and egg mixture into the meat sauce, then mix in the cooked pasta and transfer to the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
Top with a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan and black pepper. Bake until very golden brown across the top, about 30–45 minutes.
40 mins
Allow to rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
15 mins

Serving suggestions

Rest for 10–15 minutes, then cut into generous portions and serve with extra grated Parmesan and black pepper.

Cook’s tips

If the meat sauce becomes too thick to stir during simmering, add a splash of water. Cook the pasta only until almost al dente, as it will finish cooking in the oven. You can use beef, pork or half and half for the sauce.