Best Rigatoni With Ricotta Cheese Recipes

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 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 RICOTTA

Steps:

• 1. Cook the rigatoni according to package directions; drain.
• 2. In a small bowl, beat eggs. Stir in ricotta, Parmesan and parsley.
• 3. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Layer in pan, 2 cups marinara sauce to cover bottom of pan; half of cooked rigatoni over sauce; top with half of ricotta mixture, dropped by spoonfuls; 1 cup mozzarella; 2 cups marinara sauce; remaining rigatoni and ricotta mixture; top with 1 cup mozzarella; remaining marinara sauce; and remaining 1 cup of mozzarella.
• 4. Bake, covered with foil, in a preheated 375-degree oven for 60-70 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

RICOTTA-STUFFED RIGATONI PIE WITH MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• For the meat sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat into smaller pieces, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, oregano, red pepper flakes and garlic and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens to a brick red, about 1 minute. Add the tomato puree, 3/4 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a high simmer, then adjust to a low simmer. Cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes. (You can make and cool the sauce the day before. Reheat before using the next day.)
• For the pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Cook the pasta until slightly less than al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and toss with the remaining tablespoon oil, then spread out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Spread 1/4 cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan. Stand the rigatoni on their ends in the pan until it is completely filled.
• For the ricotta filling: Stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Transfer the filling to a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag, snip off just enough of the tip to make a small opening and pipe into each rigatoni tube. Pipe small mounds of any leftover ricotta mixture on top of the pasta and spread out into a thin layer. (You can cook and fill the pasta the day before.)
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the filled springform pan on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch drips. Pour 2 cups of the meat sauce over the pasta, spreading it with the back of a spoon so that it drips in between the noodles. Top with the mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Cover the pan with foil, doming it slightly to avoid touching the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover the pan and continue cooking until the top is golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes more. Let the pasta cool for 45 minutes (do not skip this part or your noodles will fall apart when serving!). Sprinkle with parsley, if using, then carefully remove the sides of the pan. Cut the pie into wedges and serve with the reserved meat sauce on the side.

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.