Ingredients for Baked Rigatoni Cake
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef or ground sausage
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
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How to Make Baked Rigatoni Cake
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook until slightly underdone (al dente), about 8-10 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
- Toss pasta with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to coat and set aside.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef (or sausage) and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, about 10 minutes.
- Add minced garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes more.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes and simmer until sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Butter a 9-inch springform pan.
- Toss cooked pasta with 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
- Tightly pack pasta into the prepared springform pan, standing each piece on end.
- Spread 2 cups of meat sauce over the pasta, pushing it into the holes between the pasta pieces.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Bake until cheese is pale golden and bubbly, another 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes to set.
- Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake.
- Carefully unmold the cake onto a serving platter.
- Cut into wedges and serve with remaining meat sauce.
Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)
Sodium
24 g
Sugar
21g
Fat
35g
Carbs
17g
