Baked Rigatoni With Meatballs Recipes

BAKED RIGATONI WITH MINI MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a straight-sided skillet over medium-high. Add meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 45 seconds. Add pureed tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain pasta; return to pot and toss with sauce and cubed cheese.
• Transfer mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish; cover with parchment-lined foil. Bake until bubbling, 15 minutes. Uncover; top with sliced cheese. Adjust oven to broil; cook until cheese is melted and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes and serve.

RIGATONI AND MEATBALLS

Steps:

• For the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Place the bread on a baking sheet. Bake until totally dry, about 30 minutes.
• Break the bread into chunks. Pulse in a food processor until the bread turns into crumbs. Throw in the meat into a large mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, milk, parsley, garlic, eggs, salt and some pepper. Use clean hands to mix together until well combined.
• Use a scoop to retrieve a small amount of the meat mixture, and roll it in your hands to make meatballs (about 25). Place on a pan and put the pan in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes, just to firm them up.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working with 8 to 10 meatballs at a time, cook them until brown but not cooked all the way through, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Remove from the pot to a plate while you make the sauce.
• For the sauce: Add the garlic and onions to the meatball pot. Stir and cook until the onion begins to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook for another minute. (Just omit this step if you're not using wine.) Add the crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir the sauce to combine all the ingredients. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If sauce needs more liquid, just add in a little water. Then throw in the parsley, basil and the meat-a-balls! Stir gently, then cover and cook for 20 more minutes, stirring once or twice until the meatballs are cooked through.
• Heap the rigatoni on a large platter and pile the meatballs and sauce on the top. Sprinkle on some extra minced parsley and serve with extra grated Parmesan.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH SAUSAGE MEATBALLS AND BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• Make the sauce: In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add vodka, and cook until liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, cream, oregano, and thyme. Cook at a gentle simmer about 30 minutes to let the sauce thicken and the flavors infuse.
• While sauce is cooking, make meatballs: Using your hands, roll sausage into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat, and saute meatballs in batches until well browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Add to tomato sauce when cooked.
• Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until very al dente, 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's instructions. Transfer noodles to a colander, and rinse with cold running water to stop the cooking. Stir noodles into sauce mixture.
• To assemble: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Trim and discard the tough ends of broccoli rabe. Cut broccoli rabe into 1-inch lengths. Add salt to water, and blanch broccoli rabe in boiling water until bright green and just tender, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander, and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Add to pasta mixture, and stir to combine. Pour into prepared baking dish, and top with cheese. Bake until mixture is bubbling and top is slightly browned, about 30 minutes.