It’s hard to improve on pasta covered in a good meat sauce but the folks at Noble Pig may have done just that. They took rigatoni pasta and a hearty meat sauce and turned it into a statuesque pie using a special kitchen weapon: the springform pan. We decided to try our own version and it turned out great.
Check out the recipe below and if you decide to make this, take a photo and share it with us!
Rigatoni Pasta Pie
Ingredients:
1 lb rigatoni pasta, cooked
1 lb ground beef
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Italian seasoning
Shredded mozzarella
Sliced provolone
Directions:
Arrange cooked rigatoni pasta vertically in springform pan. Use enough noodles so that they aren’t loose and moving around. Next cook 1 pound ground beef over medium high. When it’s almost finished add the chopped garlic and Italian seasoning. Add sauce and simmer for a few minutes. Take the pasta in your springform pan and sprinkle a little bit of shredded mozzarella on top. Don’t use too much or the meat sauce won’t get down into the pasta. Next add sauce, spread evenly over pasta and gently press down on top, pushing the sauce into the noodles. Bake for 15 minutes at 400° F. Remove from oven. Add a generous amount of shredded mozzarella and top with provolone slices. Bake uncovered at 400° F for 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly. Let it rest for a few minutes. Use a knife to go around the edge of the pan to loosen the pie. Gently remove the springform edge and serve.
Tips: Try not to have large chunks of ground beef, so that the sauce can get down into the pasta. For the same reason, avoid using a jar of chunky pasta sauce. Go for a smoother marinara.
