Sagne Chine
Sagne chine is a rich Calabrian baked pasta layered with tiny meatballs, hard-boiled eggs, artichokes, peas, and cheese.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Total
- 95 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 680 kcal
Equipment
- •Deep baking dish
- •Large saucepan
- •Frying pan
- •Slotted spoon
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 680 kcal
- fat
- 30 g
- carbs
- 68 g
- fibre
- 6 g
- protein
- 34 g
- calories
- 680 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat 15ml of olive oil in a saucepan and fry the onion until soft and sweet.
- 2
Add the tomato passata with a pinch of salt and simmer gently for 25 minutes.
- 3
Combine the minced meat, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- 4
Roll the mixture into hazelnut-sized mini meatballs.
- 5
Heat remaining olive oil in a frying pan and brown the meatballs for 5 minutes.
- 6
Boil the pasta sheets in salted water until very al dente, then drain onto clean cloths.
- 7
Spread a thin layer of warm tomato sauce over the bottom of a deep baking dish.
- 8
Layer pasta sheets over the sauce, followed by meatballs, egg slices, artichokes, and peas.
- 9
Scatter diced provola and grated pecorino over the filling, then spoon over more sauce.
- 10
Repeat the layers to fill the dish, finishing with pasta, tomato sauce, and cheese.
- 11
Bake at 190°C for 30 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.
- 12
Rest the baked pasta for 15 minutes before slicing into neat portions.
Chef's tips
Make the meatballs very small so every forkful contains a balanced mix of ingredients. Pre-boil dried pasta sheets briefly to ensure they absorb the sauce without drying out during baking.
Ingredient substitutions
- provola cheese → caciocavallo silano or low-moisture mozzarella
- Pecorino Calabrese → aged Pecorino Romano mixed with Parmigiano Reggiano
- artichoke hearts → sautéed cardoons or mushrooms if out of season
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat covered slices in an oven preheated to 180°C for 15 minutes until heated through.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cutting meatballs too large, which makes the layers unstable and hard to slice.
- •Skipping the resting time, causing the melted cheese and sauce to spill out messily.
Serving suggestions
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