Pasta is always a popular dinner and being able to assemble an entire dish to refrigerate and bake later means a filling family meal can be on the table in less than half an hour.
Baking Pasta Dishes
Baked dishes are an easy and delicious way to enjoy pasta. Dried pasta needs to be cooked before adding to the sauce and baking, however, it’s important not to overcook the noodles. Most packaged pastas come with cooking times, usually ranging from 8 to 12 minutes. However, pasta will absorb additional liquid from the sauce as the dish bakes. To ensure the noodles don’t become mushy during baking, undercook them very slightly – about 60 to 90 seconds less than the recommended time. The pasta should be just slightly less than pleasantly al dente when tested. Drain the pasta and assemble dish for baking immediately.
Baked Rigatoni with Sausage and Three Cheeses
Makes 4 to 6 servings – can easily be doubled
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3 sweet or mild Italian sausages, casings removed
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried
- 14 fl. oz. (398 ml) can diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup dry red wine or water
- 1 can (5 fl. oz. / 156 ml) tomato paste
- Pinch of sugar (optional, if tomatoes are very acidic)
- Salt, to taste
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup (packed) shredded mozzarella cheese (about 1 oz. / 28 grams)
- ½ cup (packed) shredded old cheddar cheese (about 1 oz. / 28 grams)
- 1 lb. / 450 grams uncooked dry rigatoni
- If baking immediately, preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large skillet or enameled cast iron pot, heat the olive oil on medium-high. Add the sausage meat and break up with a spoon or spatula. Cook for about two minutes, until it begins to brown.
- Add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and oregano. Stir the mixture and continue to cook until the onions are soft and the sausage has just cooked through, about 5 to 6 more minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, wine or water and stir in the tomato paste. Season the sauce with salt to taste and add a pinch of sugar, if necessary. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce gently simmer while the rigatoni cooks.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil to cook the rigatoni. Add about a tablespoon of salt to the cooking water. Add the rigatoni to the boiling water and cook for slightly less than the recommended time, usually 8 to 10 minutes (see above). The pasta should be quite al dente when drained.
- Drain the rigatoni and add the pasta to the pot of sauce. Stir until the rigatoni is fully coated.
- Spoon the rigatoni into a casserole dish (1.5 quart / 6 cup/ 1.4 litres) or individual dishes. Top with spoonfuls of the ricotta and cover the top evenly with a mixture of the shredded mozzarella and cheddar.
- If not cooking immediately, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. The dish can be assembled up to 48 hours before baking.
- Bake the pasta in a 425 degree Fahrenheit oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbling (it may take a bit longer if the pasta has been refrigerated prior to baking). Let the pasta cool slightly before serving.
Trish Coleman - Trish grew up in a small town in New Brunswick, Canada and her family ate fresh home cooked meals every night. Her family grew most of ...
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