Nidi di Tagliatelle al Forno (Baked Tagliatelle Nests)
Nests of tagliatelle filled with ragu, spooned with béchamel and baked until crisp at the edges. Neat, rich and impressive.
Made with Slow cooked ragu and White bechamel sauce. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time50 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.89 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Grease a baking dish with the butter.
- 2
Boil the tagliatelle nests in salted water for 2 minutes less than the packet says, so they stay firm. Drain, rinse briefly under cold water and drain again. Toss with 2 tbsp of your ready made béchamel (see the base recipe) to stop them sticking.
8 min - 3
Warm your ready made ragu (see the base recipe) in a pan for 5 minutes until loose.
5 min - 4
Shape the pasta into 8 loose nests and set them in the dish. Press a hollow into each and spoon in the ragu.
- 5
Spoon the rest of the béchamel over and around the nests. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan.
- 6
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and bubbling and the filling is steaming hot all the way through.
22 min 30 s - 7
Rest for 5 minutes before serving two nests per person.
Tips
- Undercook the pasta slightly. It finishes cooking in the oven, so it stays tender rather than soft.
- Twirl each portion on a fork to form tidy nests, then lift them in with a spoon underneath.
- Scatter a little extra Parmesan over the top for the crispest edges.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 90 minutes and keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze portions for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, once only.
Questions
Can I use fresh tagliatelle?
Yes. Boil fresh tagliatelle for just 1 minute before shaping. It cooks much faster than dried and will finish softening in the oven.
What is the difference from a normal pasta bake?
Here the pasta is shaped into nests with the ragu in the middle, so each portion is a neat parcel. It tastes similar to a bake but looks more special on the plate.
Can I prepare it in advance?
Yes. Assemble, cover and chill for up to 24 hours, then bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer. Check the centre is steaming hot all the way through.
More made with slow cooked ragu
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.