Baked Pasta

Rigatoni coated in a meaty sauce and creamy bechamel, baked under a golden cheese crust. The scent of melted parmesan and nutmeg signals a generous meal.

• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 45 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 1328
• Protein: 50 g
• Carbs: 130 g
• Fat: 67 g

Ingredients

• 500 g Rigatoni ( dry )
• 400 g Pork and beef stuffing ( fresh )
• 4 piece Round tomato ( diced )
• 1 piece Onion ( finely chopped )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 100 ml Red wine
• 50 g Minimum butter sweet
• 50 g Wheat flour
• 500 ml Whole milk
• 200 g Buffalo milk mozzarella ("di bufala") ( cubed )
• 60 g Parmesan cheese ( grated )
• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch Nutmeg ( grated )
• 1 piece Basil ( fresh bunch )
• 400 ml Tomato passata

Instructions

1. Preparing the meat base

   In a skillet with olive oil, sauté the chopped onion and garlic. Add the pork and beef stuffing. Sear over high heat until the meat is browned, then deglaze with red wine. Let it reduce by half.

2. Simmering the sauce

   Stir in the diced round tomatoes and the tomato passata. Simmer over low heat. The sauce should thicken and coat the back of a spoon. At the end of cooking, toss in the chopped basil leaves.

3. Making the béchamel

   Melt the butter, add the flour to form a roux. Gradually pour in the milk while whisking. Heat to a boil so the sauce thickens. Season with salt and nutmeg.

4. Cooking the pasta

   Plunge the rigatoni into a large amount of boiling salted water. Remove them 2 minutes before the time indicated on the package: they should be very firm as they will finish cooking in the sauce in the oven.

5. Assembly and gratinating

   Mix the pasta with the meat sauce and half of the béchamel. Pour into a dish, cover with the remaining béchamel, diced mozzarella, and parmesan. Bake at 200°C until the crust is golden brown and bubbling.

Chef's tips

• Do not overcook the pasta in water; they must be 'molto al dente' as they will absorb the sauce's moisture in the oven.
• If the sauce is too acidic from the tomatoes, add a small pinch of sugar to balance it out.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Reheat in the oven with a splash of water to restore creaminess.