Do you need to precook fresh pasta for bake?

Here's why:

* Fresh pasta cooks quickly: Fresh pasta is made with eggs, which makes it cook faster than dried pasta. It will cook through in the oven without pre-cooking.

* Pre-cooking can lead to mushy pasta: Since fresh pasta cooks so quickly, pre-cooking it can make it overcooked and mushy in the finished dish.

However, there are a few exceptions:

* Very thick pasta: If you are using a very thick type of fresh pasta, like lasagna sheets, it may benefit from a brief pre-boiling to soften it slightly before baking.

* Long cooking times: If your recipe involves a long baking time (over 30 minutes), it might be helpful to pre-cook the pasta for a few minutes to ensure it doesn't become too dry.

General rule: If you're unsure, err on the side of not pre-cooking. You can always add a little extra sauce or broth to the baking dish if the pasta seems dry during cooking.