Rigatoni 3 Cheeses (Printable Version)

Cheesy layers with rigatoni and zesty sauce all mingled together, baked ‘til bubbling and lightly toasted on top.

# Ingredients Required:

→ Pasta

01 - 280 grams rigatoni, dried

→ Sauce

02 - A bunch of fresh basil, ripped into pieces
03 - 1 teaspoon sugar, if you want
04 - 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
05 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
06 - 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, but taste to check
07 - 800 grams crushed, peeled tomatoes
08 - 3 cloves of garlic, chopped small
09 - 1 medium sweet onion, diced really fine
10 - 60 millilitres extra virgin olive oil

→ Ricotta Mixture

11 - 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - Kosher salt, go with what tastes right
13 - 25 grams Parmesan or Romano, grated
14 - 1 big egg
15 - 30 millilitres milk
16 - 225 grams whole milk ricotta

→ Assembly

17 - 45 grams more grated Parmesan or Romano, for those tasty layers and the very top
18 - 225 grams mozzarella cheese, shredded

# Guide to Cooking:

01 - Let the hot pasta sit about 10 minutes so it settles. Grab your knife, slice it up, and dish it out. Fresh torn basil or crusty bread on the side really hit the spot.
02 - Pop a piece of parchment or wax paper right on top, then seal it tightly with foil. Set your dish onto a lined sheet just in case it bubbles over. Bake for half an hour, then take off the paper and foil. Stick it back in so the top gets bubbly and golden for 15 to 20 minutes more.
03 - Kick the oven up to 175°C. On the base of a deep 23x33 cm pan, spread a scoop of sauce. Throw in half your rigatoni. Pour on half the sauce you have left. Drop blobs of the ricotta mix all over. Sprinkle on half your mozzarella and half the extra hard cheese. One more round of layers: add the rest of the pasta, then sauce, more ricotta, the last of the mozzarella, and a final shake of good cheese.
04 - Mix together the ricotta, milk, egg, and 25 grams or so of Parmesan or Romano in any mixing bowl. Add a bit of salt and pepper. Stir it up until it's nice and creamy.
05 - Fill a big pot with water and salt it well. When it's boiling hard, toss in the rigatoni and cook it just half as long as the box says. Drain, put back in the pot, and turn the noodles with about 240 millilitres of sauce so every piece gets a coating.
06 - Pour olive oil into a big pan and warm it on medium. Toss in the diced onion and cook for around 10 minutes till it's soft. Next, add all the chopped garlic—let that go just a minute or two so it doesn't brown. Mix in salt, granulated garlic, sugar, and black pepper. Slow pour the smashed tomatoes into the pan. Let it bubble gently for 10 minutes or so, while you stir now and then. Drop in the torn basil, mix it up, and give it another 10 minutes. Taste and tweak seasonings before you move on.

# Extra Suggestions:

01 - You can use penne or ziti instead of rigatoni—the outcome will be basically the same.
02 - Romano is pretty salty, so cut back on extra salt if that's what you're using.
03 - Want to serve a crowd? Double everything and grab a big deep catering pan.
04 - If your sauce isn't hot, toss on 5 more minutes in the oven for it to heat up all the way.

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