Baked pasta with artichokes and scamorza cheese
- Gluten Free
- Vegetarian
- Energy Kcal 1005
- Carbohydrates g 104.6
- of which sugars g 11.6
- Protein g 38
- Fats g 48.2
- of which saturated fat g 24.87
- Fiber g 5
- Cholesterol mg 135
- Sodium mg 1128
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 15 min
- Cook time: 40 min
- Serving: 4
PRESENTATION
In Southern Italy, baked pasta dishes like this artichoke and scamorza version are pure comfort food—especially on a Sunday. Picture a big family gathering. Everyone's passing around a dish of creamy pasta bake, with the aroma of golden cheese and veggies filling the air. And you know what? That’s what you get with this artichoke pasta recipe. It’s really simple, packed with flavor, and meant to bring folks together.
The artichokes? They are sautéed until they're just tender and slightly nutty, and they pair perfectly with cubes of scamorza cheese pasta. Scamorza is this classic Southern Italian cheese, kinda like mozzarella but with a smoky twist. Really melts beautifully into the moist pasta. And the béchamel? Even that's gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy it. Honestly, it tastes just as creamy as the original. So so good.
In regions like Campania and Puglia, many whip up their baked pasta with a gluten-free béchamel layer that helps everything stick together and adds a rich finish. Some sprinkle a little Parmigiano on top for a crispier touch, while others focus on the soft, stretchy scamorza.
This baked pasta recipe? A hit with everyone. Even those who usually skip gluten-free meals love it—thanks to how melty and satisfying the scamorza gets after baking. The artichokes add a tangy note, balancing the richness, so each bite is really flavorful.
Some families might add fresh parsley for color or just serve it straight from the pan. It is one of those vegetarian pasta dishes that feels super special but never fussy. Pretty much disappears fast, especially when people find out it’s gluten-free. Southern Italian cuisine—seriously good at making a simple artichoke pasta bake feel memorable long after the meal. For sure.
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INGREDIENTS
- Gluten-free Penne Rigate pasta 14.1 oz (400 g)
- Purple artichokes 1.1 lbs (480 g) - to be cleaned
- Smoked scamorza cheese 9 oz (255 g)
- Garlic 1 clove
- Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1.8 oz (50 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- for the gluten-free béchamel
- Whole milk 2 ½ cups (600 g)
- Rice flour ⅓ cup (60 g) - gluten-free
- Butter 5 tbsp (70 g)
- Nutmeg to taste
- Fine salt to taste
How to prepare Baked pasta with artichokes and scamorza cheese
To make the baked pasta with artichokes and scamorza, first How to clean artichokes: remove the tougher outer leaves 1, cut off the tips 2, divide them in half 3,
and remove the inner fuzz with a teaspoon 4, then slice the artichokes into fairly thin strips 5. Now place a pot full of salted water on the heat and bring it to a boil; it will be used for cooking the pasta. In a pan, heat the olive oil with the peeled garlic clove 6,
add the artichokes 7, a pinch of salt, and sauté them over low heat for about 10 minutes. Once cooked, remove the garlic clove and set them aside 8. Cut the scamorza into irregular cubes 9.
Now cook the pasta 3 minutes less than the time indicated on the package; it should be quite al dente 10. Meanwhile, prepare the gluten-free béchamel: in a saucepan, heat the milk 11, in another, melt the butter 12
and when it is completely melted, add the rice flour 13 and mix with a whisk to avoid lumps 14. When the milk is about to boil, add it to the roux made 15, mix everything avoiding lumps, and once it reaches the right consistency (quite fluid),
remove it from the heat, add the grated nutmeg 16, and salt 17. At this point, the pasta will be cooked, drain it, and put it in a bowl 18,
add about three generous tablespoons of béchamel 19, about two tablespoons of artichokes 20, and mix. In an oval baking dish about 12 x 9 inches, pour some béchamel on the bottom 21,
add half of all the ingredients: pasta 22, artichokes, smoked scamorza 23, parmesan 24
and béchamel 25. Continue to assemble the pie 26, using up all the various ingredients and finishing with the artichokes 27
and the scamorza 28. Season with pepper to taste 29 and bake the pasta in a preheated static oven at 392°F (200°C) for 25 minutes. Once cooked, take the baking dish out of the oven and serve the baked artichoke and scamorza pasta piping hot and stringy 30!