(Baked Neapolitan macaroni - Our recipe)

500 g (1,1 lb) Neapolitan macaroni
12 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
600 ml (21 fl oz - 2 3/4 C) puréed tomatoes
150 ml (5 fl oz - 3/4 C) red wine
2 tablespoons dried chives
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
2 teaspoons dried bay leaves
Dry breadcrumbs
100 g (3 1/2 oz) boiled ham, sliced
250 g (8 1/2 oz) mozzarella cheese, cubed
Grated Parmesan, if you like
Salt
For little meatballs
400 g (14 oz) turkey or veal meat, minced
Dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons dried chives
2 tablespoons fresh (or frozen) parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 egg
Salt

Time:
preparation: 40 minutes
cooking: 60 minutes
Difficulty:
Medium difficulty
Nutrition Facts (amount per serving):
Calories: XX (kCal) - XX (kJ)
Protein: XX (g)
Total fat: XX (g)
Total carbohydrate: XX (g)
Sugars: XX (g)

Prepare meatballs. Add all the ingredients in a bowl: minced meat, aromatic herbs, soy sauce, egg and 8 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs. Season to taste with salt and knead by your hands. The dough must be soft; prepare little meatballs with it. Every meatball must have the size of an olive. You have to dip them into dry breadcrumbs and arrange in a large pan with 10 tablespoons olive oil. Let them fry lightly over a gentle heat for few minutes, stirring very carefully with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat; add puréed tomatoes, aromatic herbs and wine. Season to taste with salt and keep on cooking over a gentle heat, without water, until wine is evaporated. You must not cook the sauce for a long time!
Meanwhile cook macaroni in a large kettle of salted boiling water until al dente stage. Be careful! don't cook pasta too much, you have to bake it too! Drain macaroni and dress them with the sauce and Parmesan cheese, if you like.
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Oil a shallow ovenproof dish and sprinkle with a little dry breadcrumbs. Arrange a first layer of dressed pasta; cover with boiled ham and mozzarella cheese (Parmesan cheese too, if you like). Then make another layer of pasta and continue until all the ingredients are used up but bearing in mind that the top layer must be of mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until mozzarella cheese is well melted.
Serve at once.