Authentic home cooking from Italy, with US measurements. 
Baked Pasta, Air Fryer Method
When December arrives, it's time to start thinking about the Christmas menu. A traditional dish here in Sicily is baked pasta. It's a delicious and flavorful main course that you can't miss during the holiday season. I usually use the electric oven, but since there were only two of us at home these days, it seemed wasteful to turn it on (my oven is very large, almost 1 meter wide), so I cooked it in the air fryer instead. The result was excellent—the pasta cooked perfectly, crispy on the outside and tasty and soft on the inside.
With the amounts in this recipe, I made two 9-inch (22 cm) round pans. I baked one right away and froze the other, uncooked and wrapped in plastic wrap, for later.
Baked Pasta, Air Fryer Method
When December arrives, it's time to start thinking about the Christmas menu. A traditional dish here in Sicily is baked pasta. It's a delicious and flavorful main course that you can't miss during the holiday season. I usually use the electric oven, but since there were only two of us at home these days, it seemed wasteful to turn it on (my oven is very large, almost 1 meter wide), so I cooked it in the air fryer instead. The result was excellent—the pasta cooked perfectly, crispy on the outside and tasty and soft on the inside.
With the amounts in this recipe, I made two 9-inch (22 cm) round pans. I baked one right away and froze the other, uncooked and wrapped in plastic wrap, for later.
Open in Cookpad AppSteps
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the rigatoni. Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel sauce.
- 2
When the pasta is very al dente, turn off the heat and drain it well.
- 3
Add a couple of ladles of meat sauce and mix.
- 4
Spread a ladle of meat sauce over the bottom of a round baking pan.
- 5
Add some pasta and more meat sauce.
- 6
Cut the provolone into cubes and add some to the pasta.
- 7
Spoon some béchamel sauce over the pasta and add 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced.
- 8
Cover with half the cooked ham and make another layer of pasta. Add more meat sauce, some béchamel, and more cheese cubes.
- 9
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and drizzle with olive oil. Place 4 balls of crumpled aluminum foil in the air fryer basket to allow hot air to circulate under the pan.
- 10
Set the pan in the basket, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil, and cook in the air fryer at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes.
- 11
After 10 minutes, using oven mitts, remove the foil and continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
Cook the second pan the same way, or freeze it for later.
- 12
Tips:
☑️ You can store baked pasta in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in an airtight container. - 13
☑️ You can prepare it ahead of time and heat it in the air fryer or oven just before serving.
- 14
☑️ You can bake it in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 25-30 minutes.
- 15
☑️ You can freeze baked pasta, whole or in portions, either uncooked or cooked. When ready to eat, it's best to thaw it completely before finishing the cooking.
- 16
☑️ For best results, the meat sauce should be thick.
- 17
☑️ Cooking times are approximate and depend on your appliance's model and size.
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