Pasticcio alla Ferrarese: the typical recipe (which dates back to the 16th century)

How to prepare the Ferrara pasticcio, an ancient dish whose origins date back to the 16th century characterized by a casket of sweet pastry and a filling of macaroni.

Characterized by an irresistible and particular contrast between sweet and savoury, it is the Ferrara pasticcio with macaroni stuffed with white sauce and béchamel, a traditional dish that is never missing from the tables of the houses and restaurants of the Emilian city.

If you love putting your hands in pasta you can't miss this recipe to combine with a good glass of red wine . Traditionally, the pie is cooked in the oven on a special tinned copper plate, but if you don't have one available, you can use a very common cake mould.

Preparation of the Ferrara macaroni pie

1. First, prepare the shortcrust pastry base by mixing all the necessary ingredients (use 375 g of butter and 750 d of flour), wrap with transparent film and leave to rest in the refrigerator for a few hours.
2. In the meantime, chop the celery, carrot and onion, brown in a large saucepan then add the minced meat and cook like a classic white sauce without adding any other condiments.
3. Then prepare the béchamel by first melting the butter with the flour (the remaining 125 g of butter and 120 g of flour), stirring constantly to avoid the formation of lumps.
4. Add warm milk and cream then leave on the heat, stirring constantly and let it thicken. Turn off the heat and let it cool .
5. Cook the pasta in plenty of water, drain it al dente then dress it with the meat sauce and the béchamel.
6. Season with the Parmesan then take the shortcrust pastry, divide it into two parts and roll it out with a rolling pin to form two discs. Line a round pan with the first disc.
7. Stuff with the macaroni , aligning them as much as possible and cover with the second disc trying to form a dome.
8. Brush the surface with an egg yolk or milk and bake in a preheated oven at 175°C for 25 minutes .
9. When cooked, remove from the oven and let cool before serving, enjoy your meal!

Alternatively you can prepare the baked zucchini pie .

storage

This typical and easy to prepare pie (if you follow our advice) can be kept in the refrigerator for a maximum of 1-2 days , well covered in transparent film. We do not recommend freezing in the freezer.