Pasticiotti with Pasta & Ricotta

Pasticiotti with pasta and ricotta is one of those head-scratching Italian American family recipes that turns out to be genuinely great. Think of it as a noodle cheesecake, a sweet baked pasta custard that lands somewhere between kugel and a ricotta pie.

The pasta gets parcooked so it finishes in the oven absorbing the sweet custard instead of turning mushy. A sweetened mixture of ricotta, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and milk blankets the noodles while a top layer of plain ricotta crowns the whole pan. As it bakes, the top layer browns in spots and the custard sets around each noodle.

A full hour on the upper rack is the spec. That’s what gives the surface its golden, pudding-like skin without overcooking the custard beneath. Pull it when the center barely jiggles.

Kitchen Tips

• Whole milk ricotta beats part-skim by a mile here. The extra fat keeps the custard from going grainy.
• Drain the ricotta in a fine sieve for 30 minutes if it looks watery, otherwise the custard won’t set.
• Small shapes like ditalini, small shells, or broken spaghetti work best. Skip long noodles.
• Let it rest 15 minutes before cutting, the custard firms as it cools.

Variations

• Stir in a tablespoon of grated lemon zest and a splash of almond extract for a Sicilian spin.
• Add chocolate chips or a handful of raisins to the ricotta mixture.
• Dust the finished dish with powdered sugar and cinnamon for a bakery look.