Honeycomb Pasta Cake Bake (Printable)

Rigatoni filled with cheese, tomato sauce, and ricotta, baked golden for a stunning crowd-pleaser.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 lb rigatoni

→ Cheese Filling

02 - 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
03 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
04 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Sauce

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
11 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
12 - 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
13 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - ½ teaspoon dried basil
16 - ½ teaspoon sugar
17 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ To Assemble

18 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, for greasing and brushing
19 - Extra chopped parsley, for garnish
20 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with olive oil and line the base with parchment paper.
02 - Boil rigatoni in a large pot of salted water until very al dente, approximately 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
04 - In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and fully blended.
05 - Stand rigatoni upright, tightly packed, in the greased pan. Using a piping bag or small spoon, fill each tube with the cheese mixture.
06 - Pour tomato sauce evenly over filled pasta, allowing it to seep among the tubes. Top with the remaining 1 cup shredded mozzarella.
07 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbling.
08 - Let rest for 10 minutes. Release the pan, garnish with extra parsley and Parmesan, slice, and serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Eye-catching and dramatic main dish
  • Vegetarian and hearty enough for everyone
02 -
  • Using springform pan makes slicing and serving easy
  • Rigatoni must be cooked al dente for perfect texture after baking
03 -
  • Add cooked ground beef or Italian sausage to the sauce for a meaty variation
  • For a spicy kick, mix in a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce
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