How to prepare the original recipe for Messina-style pasta 'ncasciata at home, that of Inspector Montalbano

The Messina-style 'ncasciata pasta it's an rtypical Sicilian cuisine and precisely of my city, Messina and has also become famous as pasta 'ncasciata di Montalbano, from the name of the police commissioner born from the pen of Andrea Camilleri. The one that the trusty Adelina left to rest in the oven for Montalbano, who could eat a whole pan by himself, enchanted by the fusion between the thick sauce, fried eggplant and melted cheese.

This is the authentic and traditional recipe, as handed down from generation to generation. The policeman created by Maestro Camilleri, who died in July 2019, and masterfully played by Luca Zingaretti, He showed pasta 'ncasciata to the world. And I, from Messina Doc, I'm really proud of it. And giving you this recipe also gives me the chance to entice you with the idea of ​​a all Sicilian lunch for your August holiday.

The steaming trays prepared by the faithful Adelina have made this dish known throughout Italy, but the pasta 'ncasciata has always been at the heart of Messina. In practice, is messinese's rival of the TIMBALE anelletti TO PALERMITANA (take a look also at the RECIPE VIDEO). It is one of Messina's historic dishes along with the MESSINA RICE ARANCINI, to our FOCACCIA WITH TUMA what's up calmly (or pidones) fried.

The history of pasta 'ncasciata alla messinese

Montalbano's pasta 'ncasciata it's the party plate, of Sunday, and the signature dish of August Messina. The Assunta and Vara are celebrated on August 15th with pasta 'ncasciata in Messina, one of the most colorful festivals of the city of the Strait. Traditionally Messina families prepared this dish in the morning and then let it rest, because it is enjoyed warm. Is, in the case of trips out of town, the steaming trays were wrapped tightly in kitchen towels to be taken to the seaside or to the mountains, ready for lunch.

The recipe is presented today with numerous variations than the original, which he provided a sauce prepared with beef patties, chicken and chicken livers. With the sauce condiva the pasta and the meat was being served as a main dish. OToday in Messina the 'ncasciata pasta is rigorously seasoned with a meat sauce, also to mark the difference with the baked pasta and timballi the palermitano.

Differences between the pasta 'ncasciata from Messina and the timballo di anelletti from Palermo

On the contrary, I noticed that many online recipes for pasta 'ncasciata confuse this typical preparation from Messina with the classic timbale of anelletti from Palermo. Which is certainly much more famous, but it has nothing to do with Montalbano's baked pasta. In which short smooth pasta is used, seasoned with ragù but enriched with ingredients such as salami. And the cheese used is typical of the Nebrodi area, in the Messina area. It's not about it, Furthermore, of a timbale like the one in Palermo wrapped in aubergines, but of baked pasta cooked in a crock.

Where does the term 'ncasciata come from??

The name ” ‘cashed or cashed-in” could have two derivations, the first since earthenware pan in which pasta was cooked directly on the coals, the second from caciocavallo which covered it creating a tasty crust. Today, the cooking in the embers it was replaced by the one in the oven. But it remains (where possible) the tradition of baking pasta ‘ncasciata with Mexican in terracotta containers.

As for the Pasta shapes, those traditionally used are the shirts of macaroni, the Spaccatelle, i what are you saying? of the casarecce (more modern interpretation). All smooth formats: I have a strong preference for casarecce, which hold much better cooking.

What can't be missing from pasta 'ncasciata, symbol dish of the Messina Ferragosto

Inside the very rich 'ncasciata pasta from Montalbano, today as then, we find local salami (my choice falls on the one in Sant'Angelo di Brolo), caciocavallo and/or provola dei Nebrodi. And again, Sicilian Style canestrato (do not use the Parmesan because Sicilian has nothing), peas (there is no unanimity on their use) and obviously the inevitable ones fried aubergines. And if they never turn out well, you know take a look at mine definitive guide on how to fry aubergines.

The vessel in which was cooked pasta was greased with the lard and then dusted with breadcrumbs. I used the extra virgin olive oil. The recipe is a little’ laboriously, but it's worth it. If you start now you are able to enjoy it for August. Take a look also to all my SICILIAN RECIPES e, if you like eggplant, to mine RECIPES WITH EGGPLANT. Have a good day!

THE PASTA INCASCIATA MESSINESE (Sicilian recipe)

Portions: 6 Preparation: 1 person Cooking: 40 minutes 40 minutes

Nutrition facts: 250 calories 20 fat

Rating: 4.2/5

( 15 voted )

Pin

Print

Ingredients

800 grams of ground beef

extra virgin olive oil

a bay leaf

salt and pepper

an onion

40 grams of tomato paste

750 milliliters of tomato puree

60 milliliters of red wine

3 Eggplant (I use the violet Messina)

peanut oil to fry the eggplant

4 boiled eggs

150 grams of boiled peas

150 grams of salami (I use the one from Sant'Angelo di Brolo)

200 grams of Ragusa caciocavallo or Nebrodi provola

basil

120 grams of grated and/or Sicilian peppered Sicilian pecorino canestrato

600 grams of short pasta (casarecce, Spaccatelle, what are you saying?)

breadcrumbs to coat the pan

Procedure

FOR THE MEAT RAGU - To make pasta 'ncasciata Messinese style, you must first prepare the meat ragout: Brown the ground beef in a large pan in olive oil, over high heat, until the meat changes color. Add the finely chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes. Combine the meat and onions, tomato paste and mix well, then deglaze with red wine. When the alcoholic part has evaporated, add the tomato puree. Salt and add the bay leaf and basil. Cook covered and on low heat for about an hour and thirty or until the sauce is dense and fragrant.

FOR THE AUBERGINES - While the sauce cooks, prepare them fried aubergines for the pasta 'ncasciata alla Messinese. Wash the eggplants, remove the ends and cut into slices half a centimeter thick. Put the eggplant in a colander, lightly season with salt and leave for at least half an hour, so that they lose some water.

Carefully pat each slice of aubergine before deep frying in peanut oil. Listen to me, The aubergines must be dry before entering the oil, And the oil must be at a temperature of 160 degrees. Once the aubergines are golden brown on both sides, arrange them on a sheet of absorbent paper.

THE SEASONING - Dice the salami, sliced ​​the cheese and hard-boiled eggs into wedges.

PASTA - Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water for half the time indicated by the pack. While the pasta cooks, Oil the pan or the terracotta pan in which you will cook the 'ncasciata pasta to the Messina, then sprinkle it with breadcrumbs.

COMPOSITION OF THE DISH - Once drained pasta, season with the meat sauce, half the grated cheese and half of the chopped eggplant. Pour into pan a first layer of pasta (in earthenware dish in the picture I make three layers of pasta, in a tin can normally make only two), Stop a little salami and caciocavallo, a handful of peas, A little more pecorino, a layer of fried eggplant and some boiled egg slice.

Cover with another layer of pasta and repeat the operation. Complete with the last layer of pasta and end with plenty of grated pecorino cheese.

COOKING - Cover up (If you have not used in a clay pot with lid, cover the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil) and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the cover and use the grill function of the oven to create a superficial crust. Now you are ready to celebrate your mid -August with the Pasta 'Ncasciata to the Messinese. Bon appétit!

Note

THE SUGGESTION: Preparing the 'ncasciata per mid -August pasta is one of the few traditions that the Messina still feel today. In many prepare it as a dish for the trip out of town. The pan is still wrapping in two or three well -tightened kitchen rubbing and then taste the pasta in the open air. Also because this dish is very warm.

Combination: A succulent and great recipe structure like this pasta incasciata Messinese, It deserves a pairing with a red wine to equal facility. We offer wine Faro Doc, from the company the Casemates, in the Upper Faro fraction, in the municipality of Messina. This red is obtained from a blend of Nerello Mascalese grapes, Nerello Cappuccio and small percentages of Nocera and Nero d'Avola.