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Meat, Italy

Baked anelletti alla palermitana

Baked anelletti alla palermitana is a Sicilian pasta gratin made with ring shaped pasta, beef ragù, golden eggplant, and peas, topped with mozzarella and pecorino. It takes about 1 hour 20 minutes for 4 people, has a medium difficulty, and costs around €3.30 per serving. The key is undercooking the pasta before baking and browning the eggplant without drowning it in oil.

Let me take you to Palermo with a baked pasta ring gratin, beef ragù, peas, and eggplant.

Baked anelletti alla palermitana
Total time
1 h 20
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.30
Calories per person
630 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

This dish comes from Palermo, where anelletti, small ring shaped pasta, stand in for regular pasta to build a heartier bake. Beef ragù simmers with peas while the eggplant browns separately, then everything comes together under a double layer of mozzarella and pecorino that turns golden and crisp in the oven.

It's a Sunday dish or a family gathering meal, the kind you can assemble ahead and slide into the oven when everyone shows up. Kids love the ring shaped pasta and melted cheese, while adults enjoy the deep ragù flavor and soft eggplant. Mon Chou walks you through it step by step for a bake that holds together when you cut into it.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Anelletti or short rigatonioften in the pantry 350 g
  • Tomato passataoften in the pantry 600 g
  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Ground beef 400 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Eggplant 2
  • Onion 1
  • Green salad 1

Frozen foods

  • Frozen peas 150 g

Dairy

  • Mozzarella 125 g
  • Grated pecorino 50 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the eggplant into cubes and brown it in a pan with the oil, then set it aside. 10 min

    Don't crowd the pan, otherwise the eggplant steams instead of browning.

  2. Sauté the chopped onion, add the beef, then the tomato passata, and simmer with the peas. 20 min

    The frozen peas go straight into the sauce, no need to thaw them first.

  3. Cook the pasta in salted water, drain it three minutes before it's fully done. 8 min

    It will finish cooking in the oven, so don't cook it all the way through.

  4. Mix the pasta with the ragù, the eggplant, and half the diced mozzarella, then pour it into an oiled baking dish.

    Line the dish with breadcrumbs first, the crust will turn out crispier.

  5. Top with mozzarella, pecorino, and breadcrumbs, then bake at 200°C, serving with the green salad. 25 min

    Let it rest for ten minutes before cutting so the bake holds together.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm eggplants with few seeds, they release less water and brown better.
  • Make the ragù a day ahead if you can, it tastes richer once reheated the next day.
  • Use a deep baking dish, the bake rises quite a bit and can overflow in a shallow one.

The variations

  • Swap the ground beef for ground veal for a milder ragù, common in some Sicilian versions.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the beef with cooked lentils and keep the rest of the recipe the same.
  • For a quicker kid friendly version, skip the eggplant step and serve a simpler baked pasta with ragù and peas.

What to serve it with

  • Green salad with lemon dressing
  • Crusty bread for the sauce
  • Sparkling water with lemon

Storage

The bake keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well in portions for up to 2 months. Reheat it in the oven rather than the microwave so the crust stays crisp.

Questions about this dish

Can I use a different pasta shape instead of anelletti?

Yes, short rigatoni or penne work well if you can't find anelletti. Just pick a short pasta shape that holds the sauce.

Can I make this bake ahead of time?

Yes, you can assemble the whole dish the day before and keep it in the fridge unbaked. Let it sit out briefly before baking so it doesn't go into the oven too cold.

How do I keep the eggplant from soaking up too much oil?

Salt the cubes and let them sit for fifteen minutes before cooking, they'll release water and absorb less oil. Also avoid crowding the pan while browning them.

Do kids usually like this dish?

Yes, the ring shaped pasta and melted cheese are usually a hit with kids. If some don't like eggplant, cut it smaller so it blends into the ragù.

How long does it take to make baked anelletti alla palermitana?

Count 1 h 20 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in baked anelletti alla palermitana?

About 630 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does baked anelletti alla palermitana cost?

About €3.30 per serving, or €13.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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