Stuffed Rigatoni Pasta Pie
This stuffed rigatoni pasta pie has ricotta-filled pasta arranged upright and baked with a hearty beef and tomato sauce and plenty of melted mozzarella.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- Pot Large
- Skillet Large
- Springform Pan 8-Inch
Ingredients
- 10 Ounces rigatoni pasta cooked to al dente as per package instructions
For the Sauce
- 1 Pound ground beef
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ Cup yellow onion diced
- 3 Cloves garlic large, minced
- 14 Ounces diced tomatoes petite diced
- 28 Ounces crushed tomatoes
- 14 Ounces tomato sauce
- 2 Teaspoons dried basil
- 1 Teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ Teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ½ Teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ Teaspoon black pepper
For the Cheese Filling
- 15 Ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ½ Cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 3 Tablespoons fresh basil chopped
- ¼ Teaspoon salt
- ¼ Teaspoon black pepper
For the Topping
- 2 Cups mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
To Garnish
- fresh basil chopped
- parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
Make the Sauce
- Cook the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, breaking it into smaller pieces. Cook until browned, then remove from the pan and drain any fat. Set the cooked ground beef aside in a separate bowl.
- In the same large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, for approximately 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and ground beef. Mix to combine, then add all the herbs. Bring the complete sauce to a low boil, then simmer on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the Cheese Filling:
- In a small mixing bowl, add the ricotta cheese, beaten egg, grated parmesan cheese, fresh basil, salt, and pepper and combine. Scoop the cheese mixture into a pastry bag without a tip or a Ziploc bag, then snip a small corner off the bag to help pipe this mix into each cooked rigatoni.
Prepare the Noodles
- Grease the inside of an 8-inch springform pan with some nonstick cooking spray. Tilt the greased springform pan on its side at a 45-degree angle (it helps to have it leaning against a heavy duty bowl or glass to accomplish this angle).
- Fill each rigatoni from one end using the pastry/plastic bag of ricotta filling. Stand the filled pasta in the greased springform pan, starting at the bottom (the end leaning on the table). Once all the noodles are filled and stacked in the springform, there will be a small space at the “top” of the pan.
- To even the noodles inside the pan and make room for cheese and sauce, make a small space in the center using your non-dominant hand while gently holding the filled noodles upright with your dominant hand and shifting the noodles out to fill the springform pan and any gaps.
- Place the springform pan flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Finish the Pie
- Sprinkle a few tablespoons of mozzarella cheese over the filled pasta, and gently twist the springform pan back and forth to encourage the cheese to fill into the crevices.
- Pour 1 or 2 cups of the sauce over the pasta, and using the back of a spoon, push the sauce around to fill in between the pieces of pasta. Pour another 1 cup of sauce over the pasta and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake It
- Loosely cover the pasta pie with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for 15 minutes until the cheese is cooked through.
- Change the oven temperature to low broil and finish the pasta pie for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown. Broil for a couple of minutes if needed.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before removing the springform sides. Slice and garnish with fresh chopped basil and grated parmesan.
- Serve with the remaining sauce.
Notes
Don't overcook the rigatoni: Keep it firmly al dente because the pasta still has to be filled, stood upright and baked for another 45 minutes. Softer rigatoni is much harder to work with and can collapse or tear while you're assembling the pie.
Tilt the pan while you fill it: Leaning the springform pan at about a 45-degree angle makes arranging the rigatoni much easier. Start filling from the lowest side and let the pasta support the pieces you add as you work your way up.
Finely grate the parmesan: Large shreds can clog the small opening in your piping bag. I like the parmesan finely grated so the ricotta mixture pipes easily into the narrow rigatoni.
Fill the rigatoni before arranging it: I find it easier to see how much ricotta is going into each tube when I fill the pasta first. Once the rigatoni is packed tightly into the pan, it's harder to tell whether you've filled each one completely.
Put the springform pan on a baking sheet: Don't skip this step. The baking sheet catches any sauce or cheese that might escape from the springform pan while the pasta pie bakes.
Don't skip the resting time: Give the pasta pie the full 15 minutes before removing the springform ring. It needs that time to settle so the rigatoni holds together better when you slice it.
Tilt the pan while you fill it: Leaning the springform pan at about a 45-degree angle makes arranging the rigatoni much easier. Start filling from the lowest side and let the pasta support the pieces you add as you work your way up.
Finely grate the parmesan: Large shreds can clog the small opening in your piping bag. I like the parmesan finely grated so the ricotta mixture pipes easily into the narrow rigatoni.
Fill the rigatoni before arranging it: I find it easier to see how much ricotta is going into each tube when I fill the pasta first. Once the rigatoni is packed tightly into the pan, it's harder to tell whether you've filled each one completely.
Put the springform pan on a baking sheet: Don't skip this step. The baking sheet catches any sauce or cheese that might escape from the springform pan while the pasta pie bakes.
Don't skip the resting time: Give the pasta pie the full 15 minutes before removing the springform ring. It needs that time to settle so the rigatoni holds together better when you slice it.
Nutrition
Calories: 560kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 960mg | Potassium: 889mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1074IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 419mg | Iron: 5mg
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