Baked pasta can ideally be divided in two big categories: the version with béchamel sauce was born in the Renaissance courts of the center and north, as a poorer variant of meat pies, from which probably derive very famous dishes such as lasagne al forno and Emilian cannelloni; the so-called pasta 'nfurnata or pasta 'ncasciata is instead one of the most typical dishes of Sicily (particularly of the province of Messina, in the specific of Mistretta, and of the province of Catania) and has its origins in very ancient traditions, essentially ascribable to the sumptuous timbales that Arabs introduced in Sicily during their domination dating back to the ninth century, to which, however, is due the name timballo itself.

[1][2][3] For the preparation of this dish various types of short and medium cut pasta, such as rigatoni, penne, tortiglioni, ziti and maccheroni are used.

'to the tooth'; it will finish cooking in the oven), drained and well mixed with the sauce, is then distributed in layers in a slightly greased baking pan or dish (or on which has been distributed a very thin layer of sauce) and alternated with ingredients linked to local traditions.

The composition of the layers is essentially based on the classic filling of cheeses such as provola or caciocavallo cheese, sliced (mostly) cooked ham also in cubes, salami, or more frequently the typical Calabrian schiacciata or soppressata), hard-boiled eggs cut into slices or wedges and the inevitable fried meatballs.

The Sicilian version (pasta 'ncasciata) among its ingredients, also includes eggplants, usually cut in thin slices and fried or cubed.