Pasta 'ncasciata is a traditional pasta dish originating from Sicily. In order to prepare it, pasta such as penne or rigatoni is cooked in boiling water, then strained and mixed with a rich tomato sauce (in Palermo) or a beef ragu (in Messina), cubes of fried eggplant, pieces of cheese such as caciocavallo or mozzarella, and bechamel sauce.

The combination is placed in a springform cake tin, sprinkled with breadcrumbs, then baked until the filling becomes hot. The dish is inverted from the mold and served warm. It's recommended to pair it with a glass of red wine such as Nero d'Avola or Frappato.

This rich and filling piatto unico (lit. single plate; one-dish meal) is traditionally made from layers of homemade, typically spinach-flavored fresh egg lasagna pasta that is topped with béchamel sauce and a rich meat sauce called ragù alla Bolognese.

Lastly, lasagne alla Bolognese is generously sprinkled with the Emilian king of cheeses, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and baked until tender on the inside with a perfectly crisp, browned top. This oven-baked classic is a typical dish of the Emilia-Romagna region, and of the city of Bologna specifically. 

Found throughout southern Italy, parmigiana di melanzane is a type of gratinated vegetable casserole traditionally made of fried or grilled slices of eggplant layered with basil-flavored tomato sauce and topped with one or more cheeses, such as mozzarella, pecorino Siciliano, scamorza, and caciocavallo Silano.

Contrary to popular belief, parmigiana has nothing to do with parmigiano Reggiano cheese, even though it is used in many recipes as it makes for a crunchier crust. Nor, in fact, does it have any connection with the city of Parma whatsoever. In fact, the name of this scrumptious summer dish supposedly stems from parmisciana, the word for “Persian” in the Sicilian dialect, and it is often suggested that the word is rooted in the Arabic badhnajan or Turkish patlıcan, both of which mean “eggplant”. 

Escondidinho is a traditional casserole. It can be made with a variety of ingredients – beef, chicken, fish, pork, or shrimp. The original one is called escondidinho de carne seca, made with a combination of dried and salted meat and mashed potatoes.

The carne seca is cooked with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and various spices. It is placed into a baking dish, then topped with mashed potatoes, and often grated cheese. The combination is baked in the oven until golden brown on top. The name of the dish means little hidden one, referring to the meat hidden underneath a layer of mashed potatoes.

This version of eggplant parmigiana is the most popular outside of Italy. Hailing from Campania, this variation on a dish is made with eggplants, olive oil, onions, basil, tomatoes, mozzarella or fior di latte cheese, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

The eggplants are peeled, sliced, and shortly fried, then arranged in a baking dish over the tomato sauce along with the cheese, basil leaves, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. The layers are repeated, and the final one should end with tomato sauce and grated cheese. 

Arroz tapado is a Peruvian dish that is easy to prepare and inexpensive. It is made with rice, carrots, ground beef, tomato paste, onions, garlic, black olives, and chopped hard-boiled eggs. This dish is layered, usually in a way where rice is on the bottom and on the top, with the other ingredients sandwiched in the middle layer.

Once assembled, arroz tapado is garnished with parsley and served with green salads, plantains, or avocado slices on the side, if desired.

Although the Greeks did not invent pasta, they have been consuming similar foods since ancient times. Actually, some terms we usually associate with Italian food like lasagna and macaroni are thought by some to be of Greek origin.

However, this dish takes its name from the Italian pasticcio, a large family of pies featuring pasta and ragú. Pastitsio is to Greeks what lasagne are to the Italians and what mac and cheese is to Americans - intensely aromatic, rich and gooey layers of tubular pasta in a hearty sauce consisting of tomatoes and ground lamb or beef meat, topped with béchamel sauce and, ideally, sprinkled with grated kefalotyri or kasseri cheese. 

One of the best-loved dishes of the Alps, tartiflette is a mouth-watering gratinated potato dish from the mountainous region of Savoie in France. It is made with medium-sized potatoes, white wine, Reblochon cheese, onions, smoked salt pork (lardons fumés), and often crème fraîche.

The dish is baked in the oven until the cheese browns and melts. The modern tartiflette was invented in the 1980s as a reimagining of an old gratinated potato, cheese, and onion dish called péla. It was created by the union of Reblochon cheesemakers in order to increase the cheese’s popularity. 

Traditionally consumed by peasants in the historic Dauphiné region in France, gratin dauphinois is a savory dish consisting of thinly sliced potatoes, crème fraîche, and butter baked in a shallow earthenware cooking vessel. The dish can be eaten on its own, preferably with a salad on the side, or as an accompaniment to fish or meat dishes.

The term gratin originally referred to the flavorful crust that was left in the pan after the dish was baked. The first mention of the dish dates back to July 12th, 1788, when it was served at a dinner hosted by Charles-Henri, Duke of Clermont-Tonnerre and Lieutenant-General of the Dauphiné, for the officials of the city of Gap in the modern-day Hautes-Alpes region.