Rigatoni With Ricotta Cheese Food

RIGATONI WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F
• In a small saucepot, heat EVOO over medium to medium-high heat
• Add butter and melt
• When it starts to foam, add garlic, stir a minute and add tomatoes, mashing them up
• Add onion, basil and bay
• Season with salt and pepper; simmer 30 minutes over low heat
• Remove onion
• Add butter to sauce to finish
• Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta
• Combine ricotta with salt, pepper, thyme, parsley, mint, lemon zest, half the mozzarella and half of the Parm
• Salt pasta water
• Boil rigatoni about 7-8 minutes, under-cooking it a minute or so from al dente
• Reserve about 1 cup of starchy cooking liquid
• Drain pasta and return to hot pot, stir in ricotta mixture, peas and adding starchy cooking water to combine as needed
• Transfer to a baking dish
• Pour red sauce evenly over top of pasta in baking dish, top with remaining mozzarella and Parm cheese
• Bake until bubbly and the cheese is browned, 15-18 minutes--be careful not to dry the pasta out

RIGATONI WITH RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Spray a 9x13-inch pan with Pam.
• Cook rigatoni as per directions on package; drain.
• Beat eggs in a small bowl.
• Stir in ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and parsley.
• To assemble casserole:.
• Spread 2 cups pasta sauce to cover bottom of pan.
• Place 1/2 of the cooked rigatoni over sauce; top with 1/2 the ricotta mixture dropped by spoonfuls.
• Layer 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 2 cups pasta sauce, remaining rigatoni, and remaining ricotta mixture.
• Top with 1 cup mozzarella, remaining pasta sauce then the last 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake 60-70 minutes until bubbly.
• Uncover and continue cooking for another 5 minutes until cheese melts.
• Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

BAKED RICOTTA AND SPINACH RIGATONI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook rigatoni for 5 minutes in a pot of boiling, salted water. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.
• To make the bechamel sauce:
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the shallots and garlic. Sweat the shallots and garlic for a few minutes until softened and but not colored. Add the flour and stir until a smooth paste forms. Gradually whisk in the wine and then the milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking constantly and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, to taste. Let cool slightly.
• Transfer cooled bechamel to a large mixing bowl and add the spinach, ricotta, and eggs. Mix in rigatoni and transfer to a greased 9 by13-inch baking dish. Top with grated mozzarella. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned on top, the center is no longer runny, and the sides are bubbly.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the topping: Add the ricotta, basil, and salt to a small bowl. Stir together with a rubber spatula. Set aside.
• For the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Season well with salt and cook the rigatoni for 5 minutes. Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
• Meanwhile, heat a large braiser or ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and sausage to the pan. Cook, stirring often and breaking apart the meat with the back of a spoon, until beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the broccoli and garlic and cook to marry the flavors, about 3 minutes. Stir in the marinara and 1/4 teaspoon salt until fully combined. Add the pasta to the pan and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Toss well to coat. Add the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce slightly.
• Dollop the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the top. Nestle the ricotta mixture into the pasta and cover with some of the pasta. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

RIGATONI WITH MARINARA SAUCE AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• If using fresh tomatoes, cut a shallow X in bottom of each with a paring knife and blanch tomatoes in 3 batches in a large pot of boiling water, 1 minute per batch.
• Transfer blanched tomatoes with a slotted spoon to a cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, peel, beginning from scored end, with knife, then halve lengthwise and seed. Chop tomatoes (fresh or canned), reserving juice (from cutting board or can).
• Cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 5 minutes. Discard garlic, then add tomatoes with their juice and 1 1/4 tsp salt and simmer, uncovered, until sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil and salt to taste.
• Cook rigatoni in boiling salted water, uncovered, until al dente, then drain.
• Toss pasta with warm marinara sauce in a large bowl. Serve with ricotta and grated Pecorino.

AWESOME CHEESY RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350°F.
• Grease a 13 x9-inch casserole dish.
• Cook the rigatoni until firm-tender (do not overcook as it will cook more when baked) toss with 2 tbsp oil to prevent drying out; set aside.
• Cook beef with onions, garlic, seasoned salt and pepper until beef is done and no longer pink; drain off fat.
• Stir in pasta sauce; simmer 20 minutes.
• In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and eggs.
• On the bottom of the casserole dish spread 1-1/2 cups meat sauce.
• Top with half each, the cooked rigatoni, ricotta cheese mixture and meat sauce.
• Repeat layer ending with meat sauce.
• Top with remaining cheese.
• Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly, about 30-35 minutes.
• Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
• Note: canned sliced mushrooms may be added to meat sauce if desired.