Here is the secret to delighting the whole family with a pasta gratin that is soft on the inside and brown on the outside. You won’t be able to do without it.
A dish that the whole family can agree on? Pasta of course! What better way to bring the family together around a simple, economical and delicious dish than soft pasta gratin with tomato sauce? This recipe is not only easy to make but it combines benefits. It takes little time, is really inexpensive and can make several meals. For our recipe, you only need three ingredients: pasta of course, melted cheese and tomato sauce. An onion and herbs can be added according to your tastes but are not obligatory.
The secret to a successful pasta gratin still lies in a few key tips. Fans of cheese pasta gratin know it well, the pitfall is that it is too dry and quickly heavy to digest. First, it’s essential to have the right balance of pasta and sauce. Too much pasta and your gratin risks being dry; too much sauce and it becomes too watery, difficult to serve and tasteless.
To begin with, the choice of pasta is crucial. Opt for short varieties like shells, penne, farfalle, or orecchiette. This pasta soaks up the sauce better, contributing to the moist consistency of the dish. The sauce, on the other hand, starts with peeled tomatoes. For a richer taste, start by sautéing a chopped onion before adding the tomatoes. Feel free to enrich your sauce with aromatics and herbs like thyme and oregano, depending on your preferences and what you have on hand.
A common pitfall with pasta gratins is their tendency to absorb all the sauce. To avoid a dish that is too dry, make sure you have enough sauce. If necessary, add a little brick tomato sauce to compensate.
Cooking the pasta is another crucial element. Cook them in a saucepan and drain them halfway through cooking. Then, finish cooking them with tomato sauce in a pan. This process allows the starch from the pasta to thicken the sauce, thus avoiding an overly liquid consistency. Once the pasta and sauce are ready, pour them into a gratin dish. An important tip: don’t add the cheese right away. Bake your dish for 15 to 20 minutes without cheese to avoid getting a too hard top.
After this first cooking, cover your gratin with cheese according to your taste: grated gruyere, parmesan, cheddar, or mozzarella, you are the chef! Bake again for about 10 minutes. Chef’s tip: to have an even softer gratin, you can add cheese to the heart of the gratin. A delight ! Adding cheese to the heart of the gratin before the second cooking will guarantee an even softer result… All you have to do is serve it at the table.