Pasta Pie
Your family is going to love this when you place it on the table on a cake pedestal with garlic bread and a salad. Its different and fun.
Your family is going to love this when you place it on the table on a cake pedestal with garlic bread and a salad. Its different and fun.
- Carbohydrate 52.54632875 g
- Cholesterol 211.851759166667 mg
- Fat 53.7232866666667 g
- Fiber 2.5445208012263 g
- Protein 50.0973304206667 g
- Saturated Fat 22.7122463665667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (416g)
- Sodium 795.903295966667 mg
- Sugar 50.0018079487737 g
- Trans Fat 11.0793001563333 g
- Calories 897 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until slightly underdone (I cooked mine for 12 minutes when the box indicated 14 minutes). One pound of pasta should be cooked in 6 quarts of water, make sure you are using a big enough pot so the pasta doesn't stick together. When done, rinse in cold water and drain again. Toss pasta with 1 Tablespoon olive oil to coat. Set aside.
- Heat remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef. Cook, stirring occasionally until browned. Add garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes more.
- Add crushed tomatoes; simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Toss pasta with Parmesan cheese. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Tightly pack pasta into pan, standing each piece on end. Spread meat sauce on top of pasta.
- Push the meat sauce into the pasta holes filling each one up. Stuffing the meat into the holes is a weirdly satisfying task. Enough said.
- Place in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake another 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen and then unmold.
- Cut into wedges and serve with any remaining meat sauce you might have.
Overcooking the rigatoni ruins the structural integrity required to stand the tubes on end inside a springform pan. Boil the pasta two minutes shy of the package instructions, ensuring the starch retains enough rigidity to hold its shape under pressure. Shocking the drained rigatoni in cold water halts the cooking process immediately, preventing the tubes from softening further before assembly. Tossing the cooled pasta in a tablespoon of olive oil coats the exterior, stopping individual pieces from cementing together while you prepare the meat. Grating whole blocks of parmesan and mozzarella yields superior melting properties compared to pre-shredded supermarket alternatives, which contain cellulose powders that inhibit proper binding.
Simmering the crushed tomatoes for twenty minutes reduces excess moisture so the sauce thickens into a clingy ragu rather than a watery pool. Garlic burns easily in hot oil, which introduces acrid bitter notes; add the crushed cloves only during the final two minutes of browning the beef. Packing the vertical rigatoni tightly into a buttered nine-inch springform pan creates the necessary friction to keep the tubes upright. Pushing the meat sauce downward forces the ragu into the hollow chambers of the pasta, guaranteeing flavor distribution throughout every single bite rather than relying solely on a superficial top layer.
Baking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for fifteen minutes heats the interior components before the surface cheese overcooks. Distributing the coarsely grated mozzarella over the top and returning the pan to the heat source for an additional ten to fifteen minutes achieves bubbling, golden dairy without scorching. Allowing the baked dish to rest undisturbed for fifteen minutes on the counter is non-negotiable for structural stability. Slicing the casserole into clean wedges requires this cooling window so the melted cheese and starches can set properly. Running a sharp paring knife around the interior perimeter of the metal ring releases the sides cleanly before releasing the latch.
Springform pans are ideal for this preparation because the removable side collar allows the tall cylindrical shape to slide out intact without disturbing the presentation. Standard deep cake pans serve as a viable alternative if springform hardware is unavailable, though extraction requires careful vertical lifting with offset spatulas rather than unlatching a collar. Utilizing high-grade ground sirloin minimizes excessive fat accumulation during the initial skillet browning phase, keeping the finished center from becoming greasy. Leftovers store safely in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, reheating successfully in a 350-degree oven until warmed through.
