Rigatoni baked upright with ricotta, tomato sauce, and gooey cheese for an eye-catching, comforting dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 lb rigatoni
→ Cheese Filling
02 - 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
03 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
04 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Tomato Sauce
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
11 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
12 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
13 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - ½ teaspoon dried basil
16 - ½ teaspoon sugar
17 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Assembly
18 - 2 tablespoons olive oil (for greasing and brushing)
19 - Extra chopped fresh parsley for garnish
20 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
# Step-by-Step Guide:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with olive oil and line the base with parchment paper.
02 - Boil rigatoni in a large pot of salted water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.
03 - In a saucepan over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sauté onion until translucent, 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - In a mixing bowl, blend ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper until smooth.
05 - Stand rigatoni upright, tightly packed, in the prepared pan. Using a piping bag or spoon, fill each tube with the ricotta mixture.
06 - Pour tomato sauce evenly over the filled rigatoni to allow it to seep between noodles. Top with the remaining mozzarella.
07 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking another 15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
08 - Let the dish stand for 10 minutes before releasing the pan. Garnish with additional parsley and Parmesan. Slice and serve.
