Like baked ziti, baked rigatoni is a comforting classic and one that is not complicated to make. The quick homemade tomato sauce with ricotta cheese is quite tasty and goes well with the zucchini and mushrooms, and with a generous blanket of bubbly mozzarella cheese it pairs perfectly, adding the most cheesiest tomato flavour you can devour in a dish.
Doesn't really mater how you plate it, does it. It's delicious and comforting, and sometimes that's all you need.
Baked Rigatoni
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serves 6 to 8
1 x 454 g box Rigatoni pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large onion, chopped
2 -3 medium zucchini, chopped
1 pint (227 g) sliced mushrooms, rinsed and patted dry
1 can (796 ml) low salt diced tomatoes
1 can (796 ml) low salt crushed tomatoes
3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 - 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
slices of fresh tomato, optional
Arrabbiata Pasta Seasoning
Heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
In a large stock pot of boiling salted water, cook the rigatoni until it is almost completely tender but still has a bit of chew to it. Drain the pasta and set aside.
Heat a sauté pan with the oil to medium heat, then add the garlic and onion and cook for about 5 - 7 minutes or until the onion is tender. Add the zucchini and mushrooms a cook for another 5 minutes until tender. Add the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes, letting it all come together and reduce a bit then turn off the heat.
Stir the ricotta cheese into the sauce until it blends well, then fold in the pasta and mix well to coat everything. Spoon half of the pasta and sauce mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, then sprinkle with some of the mozzarella cheese. Add the rest of the pasta and sauce and top with the remainder of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with slices of fresh tomatoes, if using.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and bubbly. Serve hot and sprinkle with Arrabbiata Pasta Seasoning and parmesan cheese.
Notes: You can make the sauce a meaty one by adding 1 pound of minced beef when sautéing the onions, sautéing together for 5 to 7 minutes or until the beef has browned, then add the chopped vegetables and continue with the rest of the recipe. You can also top or serve with fresh basil leaves.