pasta al forno con pomodori e mozzarella

From Jamie Oliver Jamie's Italy

Serves 4

salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
1 white onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
3 14-oz cans plum tomatoes
large handful of basil leaves
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar (optional)
14 oz dried orecchiette
4 big handfuls of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
3 5-oz balls of mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400 F. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Heat a couple of glugs of olive oil in an appropriately sized pan. Add the onion and garlic and slowly fry for about 10 minutes on a medium to low heat until softened but without any color. Add the tomatoes to the onion and garlic with a small glass of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for around 20 minutes. Blend to make a loose sauce. Tear the basil leaves into the sauce and season with salt, pepper, and the red wine vinegar.

Add the orecchiette to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions, then drain and toss with half of the tomato sauce and a handful of the Parmigiano. Layer a little pasta into a baking pan, followed by some tomato sauce, a handful of Parmigiano, and a sliced up mozzarella ball, then repeat these layers until all of the ingredients are used up, ending with a good layer of cheese on the top. Pop the dish into the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden, crisp, and bubbling.