Baked rigatoni stands upright with creamy cheese, savory tomato sauce, and golden mozzarella. Comforting Italian favorite.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 lb rigatoni pasta
→ Cheese Filling
02 - 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
03 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
04 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
07 - ½ tsp salt
08 - ¼ tsp ground black pepper
→ Sauce
09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
11 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
12 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
13 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
14 - 1 tsp dried oregano
15 - ½ tsp dried basil
16 - ½ tsp sugar
17 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ To Assemble
18 - 2 tbsp olive oil for greasing and brushing
19 - Extra parsley for garnish
20 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with olive oil and line the base with parchment paper.
02 - Cook rigatoni in a large pot of salted boiling water until very al dente, approximately 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning if needed.
04 - Mix ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl until smooth.
05 - Stand rigatoni upright in the prepared pan, tightly packed. Fill each tube with the ricotta mixture using a piping bag or small spoon.
06 - Pour tomato sauce over filled pasta, allowing it to seep between noodles. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
07 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbling.
08 - Allow to rest 10 minutes before releasing the springform pan. Garnish with extra parsley and grated Parmesan. Slice and serve.
