PASTA AL FORNO: OVEN BAKED PASTA

Pasta Al Forno: Oven Baked Pasta image

Provided by Food Network

Time 55m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

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1 pound/450 g rigatoni pasta
4 tablespoons/60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 large eggplant, cubed
10 large sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
15 infornate olives, pitted and chopped
2 dried chile peppers, crushed, optional
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (25-ounce/750 ml) jar tomato puree
Salt
12 ounces/400 g freshly grated mozzarella
Smoked scamorza cheese, as much as desired, roughly chopped
Freshly grated Parmigiano cheese, for sprinkling

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. While the rigatoni cooks in salted boiling water, prepare the sauce. In a saucepan heat up the olive oil and saute the eggplant, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, chile peppers, if using, and garlic, for a few minutes. Add the tomato puree and salt. Let the sauce cook for approximately 10 minutes on medium heat. Drain the rigatoni; add the pasta to the saucepan, sprinkle with some Parmigiano and cook for another 30 seconds. Then place 1/2 the rigatoni in a baking dish, adding a layer of 1/2 the mozzarella, 1/2 the scamorza and another sprinkle of Parmigiano cheese over the pasta. Add the remaining rigatoni, and follow with a final layer of all the cheeses. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.