Description
Bobby Flay’s creamy rigatoni combines rich pasta with hearty sausage and aromatic herbs for an unforgettable Italian-inspired meal. Comfort and flavor merge seamlessly, inviting you to savor each delicious forkful of this irresistible dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 g) ground meat (1 lb/454 g ground beef, 1 lb/454 g ground Italian sausage)
- 16 oz (454 g) rigatoni pasta
- 2 cans (15 oz/425 g each) tomato sauce
- 1 can (12 oz/340 g) tomato paste
- 16 oz (454 g) heavy cream
- 6 oz (170 g) shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 diced onion
- ½ cup (114 g) butter
- ½ cup (120 ml) pasta water
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Pasta Cooking: Boil salted water and cook rigatoni until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Meat Preparation: Sauté ground beef, Italian sausage, and onions in a large skillet until fully browned. Drain excess fat and season with garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano, and dried basil.
- Sauce Development: Add tomato sauce and tomato paste to the meat mixture, simmering to meld flavors. Simultaneously, create a velvety cream sauce by whisking butter, flour, and heavy cream until smooth.
- Cheese Integration: Incorporate Parmesan cheese into the cream sauce, stirring until melted. Season with salt and black pepper, then blend in reserved pasta water.
- Assembly: Toss rigatoni with cream sauce, ensuring complete coverage. Transfer to prepared baking dish, layer with meat sauce, and top generously with mozzarella cheese.
- Baking: Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until cheese melts and turns golden and bubbly.
- Serving: Allow dish to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Pair with warm garlic bread and a fresh green salad.
Notes
- Pasta Water Magic: Reserve the starchy pasta water to create a silky, smooth sauce that helps bind ingredients perfectly.
- Meat Browning Technique: Ensure ground beef and sausage are completely browned to develop deep, rich flavors and eliminate any raw meat texture.
- Cheese Melting Tip: Gradually add Parmesan and mozzarella to prevent clumping and achieve a creamy, luxurious sauce consistency.
- Resting Ritual: Allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes after baking to let flavors meld and make serving easier, creating a more cohesive and delicious meal.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 1032
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 1074 mg
- Fat: 66 g
- Saturated Fat: 34 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 28 g
- Trans Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 73 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 51 g
- Cholesterol: 180 mg