| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 11 min |
| Prep: | 6 min |
| Inactive: | 5 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- Butter, for greasing dish
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 pound (8 ounces) mezze penne or other small pasta
- 1/3 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1/4 cup dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 to 5 very ripe, extra-large or beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
Instructions
- Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish. Set aside.
- In a food processor, blend together the crushed tomatoes and garlic. Pour into a medium bowl and add the uncooked pasta, 1/3 cup olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss until all the ingredients are coated.
- Line the bottom and sides of the baking dish with tomato slices. Pour the pasta mixture into the pan and spread evenly. Arrange the remaining tomato slices in an overlapping layer on top of the pasta mixture, making sure the mixture is completely covered. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake until the tomatoes are slightly crispy and the pasta is cooked, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 339 |
| Total Fat | 16 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 43 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Protein | 8 g |
| Cholesterol | 8 mg |
| Sodium | 653 mg |
Reviews
Made this recipe exactly as written. Like Giada, am also Italian and was concerned about the amount of oregano. It was perfect as is. No need for cheese or anything extra!!
Easy to make and so incredibly rich and flavorful.
Mine cooked perfectly! It did drip a bit in the oven (juicy tomatoes?) so I quickly put a cookie sheet under it. It would be fun to experiment with other herbs so it’s not predominantly oregano all the time. Overall, a good, easy meal for weeknights!
Made this tonight and the hubs loved it!! I did too. As others said super easy to make, easy clean up. It’s incredibly flavorful and hearty. Those tomatoes just MADE the dish!! I did half oregano/half basil and it was a nice balance. I added a little parm and some mozzarella to round it all out. It’s a fantastic dish to ad lib with other vegetables or protein which I’ll do a little more next time for fun.
Amazing recipe! I had fresh oregano and basil on hand, so I used that instead of dried. Baked in my Staub and it turned out so creamy, sweet and delicious. Will make again.
This recipe is fantastic just as written. It is amazing in taste and the amount of oregano isn’t too much at all as it is needed with the acidity of the tomatoes. Also the crispiness of the tomatoes on top gives it texture and a more concentrated flavor! It is really good.
I have made this recipe as written (excellent) and also this way: I used unsalted tomatoes and added salt and a bit of sugar to taste. I added about 1/2 cup water total to swirl in the can and food processor to sweep up excess tomatoes; the extra water seems to help the pasta cook. I used 2 Tablespoons of pesto sauce (without nuts) instead of the oregano, and red pepper flakes to taste. Then I cut the oil back to 1/4 cup. I served it with extra pesto sauce on the side, parmesan, and ricotta to stir in if folks prefer a cheesy pasta. A chopped salad with pepperoni and provolone pairs well.
When I saw this dish on TV I knew I had to try it. I made it tonight and it was fantastic!! My parents were skeptical of the tomatoes and small pasta amount, but they ended up loving it!! My mom is even considering baking lasagna with tomatoes next time. You can experiment with spices and add cheese for extra texture and flavor. This dish is easy to make and very hearty. A winning dish!!!
Delicious! Add 2 tbsp. oregano, 3 cloves of garlic and 3 large leaves of fresh basil. Topped with slices of whole milk mozzarella and baked for 1 hour. Next time I may add a bit more oregano. Thanks, Giada.
This is a great recipe, however, I think that the amount of oregano it calls for, it’s too much, makes it taste too strong, I would put a little less, it’s awesome though! I just made it for lunch with some pork stakes!