Pasta al forno for T

This recipe is adapted from the Baked Veal and Ham Pasta in

“How to Eat: Pleasures and Principles of Good Food (Cookery)” (Nigella Lawson), in itself a really delicious, tomato-free dish.

Italians, particularly Tuscans, are famous for talking about their food – conversation at the dinner table with my husband’s family always involves food – what we’re eating at the moment, what we ate at other memorable meals, what we’re going to eat tonight and what we’d really like to eat in the future when it’s back in season.

This cultural obsession with food does make it a little daunting for an outsider to dare to try to replicate at home. Italians are not shy about giving criticism or about grilling you as to the exact method you used, even if they happen to be your husband, and sometimes you feel a bit more diplomatic silent chewing might be in order. So I have generally shied away from the classics (particularly pasta) to avoid, let’s say, helpful comparisons. But with a husband seemingly obsessed by pasta al forno, sometimes I do have to try, and sometimes, as last night, I succeeded.

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