Layered Rigatoni Bake Recipes

BAKED RIGATONI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and sugar. Season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook until slightly reduced, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add rigatoni, and cook, stirring occasionally, 9 minutes. Drain in a colander, and rinse under cool water until cool. Set aside.
• In a medium nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage, and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to break up any large pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine ricotta with half of the mozzarella. Stir to combine. Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.
• To assemble, spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add half of the rigatoni in an even layer. Spread with 1/2 cup sauce, ricotta mixture, sausage, and 1 cup more sauce. Top with remaining rigatoni, and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Any remaining sauce may be reheated and served on the side or reserved for another use. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top to cover. Place baking dish on a baking sheet, and transfer to oven. Bake until bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot.

LAYERED RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package except omit salt; keep warm.
• Spray 3-quart saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add onions to saucepan; cook and stir 1 minute. Add butter and flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Gradually stir in milk with wire whisk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in ricotta cheese and spinach.
• In separate 3-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add tomatoes to oil, crushing tomatoes with spoon. Stir in basil, salt and pepper; cook uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to simmer and basil wilts. Remove from heat; discard basil.
• Over bottom of baking dish, spread half of the tomato sauce (1 1/4 cups). Arrange half of the pasta, 7 rows lengthwise by 9 or 10 rows widthwise, over tomato sauce. Spread half of the ricotta mixture (2 cups) over pasta. Repeat layers, ending with ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
• Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cook rigatoni according to package directions; drain., In a large skillet, cook sausage, mushrooms and pepper over medium-high heat until sausage is no longer pink and vegetables are tender, breaking up sausage into crumbles, 8-10 minutes; drain. Stir in marinara sauce, Parmesan cheese and cream. Add rigatoni and toss to coat., In each of 2 greased 8-in. square baking dishes, layer one-fourth of the rigatoni mixture and one-fourth of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, until heated through and cheese is melted, 25-35 minutes. (Cover loosely with foil if tops brown too quickly.) Freeze option: Cool unbaked casseroles; cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake casseroles as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.

CHEESY RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a 6-qt. stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; return to pot. Cool slightly., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour and salt until smooth; gradually whisk in milk and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat., Add eggs to pasta, tossing to coat. Divide mixture between two greased 8-in. square baking dishes. Layer each dish with one can tomato sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and half of the white sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 160°, 30-35 minutes. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casseroles. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 375°. Cover casserole with foil; bake 40 minutes. Uncover; bake until a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°, 7-10 minutes.

SEVEN-LAYER RIGATONI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Spray rectangular baking dish 13x9x2-inches, with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
• While pasta is cooking, cook sausage in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink; drain. Mix tomatoes, garlic and basil.
• Layer half each of the pasta, sausage, mushrooms, bell peppers, Parmesan cheese, tomato mixture and mozzarella cheese; repeat layers.
• Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes or until hot and cheese is golden brown.

LAYERED RIGATONI W/ ITALIAN SAUSAGE - CASS'S

Steps:

• 1. Prepare a 9 x 13 deep casserole or lasagna pan with cooking spray, set aside.
• 2. In a dutch oven or large skillet, saute peppers and onions until tender in a few tablespoons of oil. About a minute before they are done, add the minced garlic; cook another minute or so.
• 3. Add the ground beef, Italian sausage, seasonings, crumble with a spoon as it cooks. Continue cooking until no longer pink. Drain.
• 4. Return meat and vegetables to the pot.
• 5. Now, add the sauce, pepperoni and tomatoes; stir and cover. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• 6. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the ricotta, salt, pepper, egg, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
• 7. Pour the cooked and drained rigatoni into the cheese mixture, toss well. Preheat oven to 375 degree F.
• 8. Add about a 1 1/2 cups of sauce and toss.
• 9. Pour half of the rigatoni mixture into the prepared pan; spreading evenly. Sprinkle 1 - 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese over rigatoni.
• 10. Now, spread about 2 cups of sauce over the cheese. Spreading evenly. ( This may seem like a lot of sauce, but the half cooked pasta will use up the sauce when baking).
• 11. Repeat one more time, rigatoni, 1 - 1/2 cup of cheese, sauce. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Sprinkle with dried or fresh parsley.
• 12. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is starting to brown. I served with garlic toast and tossed salad.
• 13. Enjoy!