Baked Rigatoni
 
 
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
  • 1 28oz can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 5 tbsp butter
  • 1 medium onion
Meat
  • olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • salt
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
  • salt
Everything Else
  • 1 lb box of rigatoni
  • 8-10 oz ricotta cheese (so a bit more than 1 cup)
  • 8 oz ball of mozzarella (or larger!)
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan
Instructions
  1. We're starting with the tomato sauce. Put the can of tomatoes in a medium sauce pan. Take a knife and roughly cut up the tomatoes in halves or quarters. This isn't the serious, it just helps everything break down.
  2. Cut (and peel) the onion. Cut the onion in half from end to end, not across the equator. Put the onion halves and butter in the tomato sauce. Tomato Sauce
  3. Heat the sauce on medium high until it's simmering. Then turn the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Set your kitchen timer! Over the 45 minutes, stir occasionally and use your spoon to smash and cut up the tomatoes.
  4. Preheat your oven to 450°.
  5. When the timer says 25 minutes left, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet on medium-high heat. Add the minced onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is soft but not yet brown (about 7 minutes).
  6. Once the onions and garlic are ready, add the ground beef. Add the crushed red pepper, salt and paprika, if using. Cook until brown. Break up with your spoon as you cook it.
  7. When the meat is finished pour out any excess fat and grease from the pan. Then set the meat side, it will wait until everything else is ready.
  8. When the timer says 15 minutes left, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  9. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. Cook until it is al dente (about 6-8 minutes). This means, when it still has a chew to it. Cook it about 2 minutes less than you usually would, when it's just on the cusp of being ready but is still a bit tough. The pasta will cook more in the oven.
  10. Drain the pasta using a colander.
  11. The sauce should be done by now. Remove the onion and throw it away. Add the cooked ground beef and the pasta to the pot of sauce. Mix it thoroughly.
  12. Add the ricotta to the pot. Mix a little, but try to leave some chunks of ricotta showing.
  13. Pour half of the pasta-beef-sauce mix into a 9"x13" pan. On top of that half, add half of the Parmesan and half of the mozzarella.
  14. Pour the other half of the pasta mix and then top that with the rest of the cheese.
  15. Cook in the oven for 15. The sauce will be bubbling and the cheese will be a bit brown.
Recipe by Cooking is Messy at https://www.cookingismessy.com/2013/12/03/baked-rigatoni/