Baked Tagliatelle Nests with Braised Beef in Gratinéed Tomato Sauce
Nests of pasta baked directly in the oven, generously filled with a beef ragù in a tomato sauce flavored with fresh herbs. A dish that is both rustic and elegant, impressing as much with its presentation as its flavors — ready with minimal effort for a trattoria-worthy result.
🛒 Ingredients
4 servings
- 8 nests of tagliatelle (nest-shaped pasta, about 8.8 oz)
- 10.6 oz beef (chuck or sirloin), cut into small 0.4-inch cubes
- 1.7 cups plain tomato sauce (homemade or canned)
- 5.3 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small yellow onion, finely sliced
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Fine salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 oz grated cheese (Gruyère or Parmesan, optional)
- 2.1 cups hot water or light broth (to moisten pasta during cooking)
Watch the original video
Watch on TikTokDirections
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) convection. Prepare all your ingredients: cut the beef into small, uniform cubes, slice the onion, mince the garlic, chop the parsley and chives, and halve the cherry tomatoes.
- 2
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the sliced onion for 3 minutes until translucent, then add the minced garlic and cook for another minute without browning.
- 3
Increase the heat to high and add the beef cubes. Sear for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until well browned on all sides. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- 4
Pour the tomato sauce over the beef, mix well, and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly. Then, add the cherry tomatoes, half of the parsley, and half of the chives. Stir and remove from heat.
- 5
In a lightly oiled rectangular baking dish (approximately 10x12 inches), arrange the 8 raw pasta nests side by side, packed closely together so they support each other and maintain their shape during cooking.
- 6
Gently pour the hot beef sauce over and around the pasta nests, ensuring they are well covered and the sauce seeps between each nest. Add 1.3 to 1.7 cups of hot water or light broth to the bottom of the dish to ensure proper pasta cooking.
- 7
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes (check pasta cooking according to package directions – it should be al dente).
- 8
Remove the aluminum foil, sprinkle with grated cheese if desired, and return to the oven for 5 minutes under the broiler to gratin the surface until golden and appetizing.
- 9
Remove the dish from the oven, immediately sprinkle with the remaining fresh parsley and chives for freshness and color. Serve hot directly from the dish, preserving the shape of the filled nests.
💡 Chef's Tip
The secret to keeping the nests in perfect shape: arrange them tightly in the dish before adding the sauce, and don't skimp on the total liquid (sauce + water) – raw pasta absorbs a lot during cooking. For a richer sauce, add a tablespoon of tomato paste during simmering.
