Baked Rigatoni with Sausage
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Baked Rigatoni with Sausage
Serves:
8 people
Cooking Level:
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Inactive Time
Total Time
50 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
For The Topping:
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For The Pasta:
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for the pasta
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 large or 2 small heads broccoli chopped into small florets
- 1 clove garlic peeled and chopped
- One 25-ounce jar marinara sauce
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
INSTRUCTIONS:
- This recipe originally appeared on Giada Entertains: Pasta Party.
- 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.
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Photo Credit: Food Network
Article by Giada De Laurentiis