Try this Caprese pasta recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 327.218154104408 g
- Cholesterol 444.877430231898 mg
- Fat 57.0459245486123 g
- Fiber 15.0999995827675 g
- Protein 72.5608470608055 g
- Saturated Fat 23.6036929967726 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1206g)
- Sodium 3838.7611167159 mg
- Sugar 312.118154521641 g
- Trans Fat 6.31225109034669 g
- Calories 2121 calories
Step-by-step
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook pasta according to package in a large pot of water with salt. Once pasta is fully cooked, drain and drizzle with olive oil.
- In a large pan warm spaghetti sauce over medium heat. One the sauce is heated, add in heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Once cheese is melted pour sauce over noodles.
- Cut grape tomatoes in half and mozzarella in 1/2 inch cubes. Then combine the mozzarella (save about 1/4 cup) and tomatoes with the pasta. Pour into a 9×9 baking dish. Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Top with fresh basil. Enjoy!
The ingredient line masks the thermal physics occurring inside the baking dish. Combining heavy cream, tomato sauce, and starchy rigatoni requires careful temperature control to prevent the dairy solids from breaking apart into an oily film. Simmering the tomato sauce and cream mixture over medium heat for precisely two to three minutes reduces excess water before it ever hits the oven. Cook the rigatoni in a large pot of heavily salted water until it reaches a firm al dente texture, stopping just short of fully tender. Because the pasta absorbs moisture during the twenty to thirty minutes at 350 degrees, fully soft noodles will turn mushy in the oven. Draining the pasta thoroughly and tossing it immediately with olive oil prevents the warm tubes from sticking together while you prep the mix-ins. Cut the fresh mozzarella into uniform half-inch cubes so they melt evenly without pooling too much liquid into the baking dish. Reserve one-fourth cup of that cheese for the final ten minutes of baking, applying it directly to the surface to achieve a blistered, golden-brown crust. Fresh basil should never enter the oven because sustained heat destroys its volatile essential oils instantly. Scatter the torn basil leaves across the surface only after the dish emerges from the oven, letting residual heat soften the herb without scorching it.
