Indulge in a symphony of flavors with our baked rigatoni, a culinary masterpiece that combines the comforting goodness of pasta with a tantalizing filling of spinach, ricotta, and fontina cheese. This delectable dish is a harmonious blend of textures, where the al dente rigatoni provides a satisfying bite, while the creamy filling melts in your mouth, enveloping your taste buds in a delightful embrace.
The spinach, with its earthy notes, adds a touch of freshness and vibrancy, while the ricotta and fontina cheeses contribute a rich and nutty flavor that lingers on the palate. Baked to perfection, the rigatoni emerges from the oven with a golden-brown crust that hints at the delectable treasure hidden within.
Accompanying this main course are two complementary recipes that elevate the dining experience. A refreshing spinach salad, tossed with a tangy lemon vinaigrette, provides a light and zesty counterpoint to the richness of the pasta. And for a sweet ending, a classic Italian panna cotta is offered, its creamy texture and delicate vanilla flavor providing a perfect conclusion to this culinary journey.
BAKED PENNE WITH SPINACH, RICOTTA & FONTINA
In this easy recipe, penne pasta is tossed in a creamy spinach and ricotta sauce, topped with cheese, and baked until golden brown.
Provided by Jennifer Segal
Categories Dinner
Time 40m
Yield 4-6
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch ceramic baking dish.
- Cook the penne in boiling salted water until al dente, about 9 minutes. (It will cook more in the oven so you don't want it completely cooked.) Drain, then place the cooked penne back in the pan and set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the spinach, basil, ricotta, cream cheese, half-and-half, 1 cup of the fontina, 3 tablespoons of the Parmigiano Reggiano, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Process until puréed.
- Add the spinach mixture to the pasta and stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining fontina and Parmigiano Reggiano. Bake until the pasta is bubbling and the top is golden in spots, about 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 692, Fat 34 g, Carbohydrate 65 g, Protein 31 g, SaturatedFat 20 g, Sugar 7 g, Fiber 4 g, Sodium 956 mg, Cholesterol 112 mg
BAKED RICOTTA AND SPINACH RIGATONI
This is a one pot, one dish meal. If you can get your hands on smoked mozzarella versus the regular stuff, you'll take the flavor to the next level.
Provided by Dave Lieberman
Categories main-dish
Time 1h30m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook rigatoni for 5 minutes in a pot of boiling, salted water. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.
- To make the bechamel sauce:
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the shallots and garlic. Sweat the shallots and garlic for a few minutes until softened and but not colored. Add the flour and stir until a smooth paste forms. Gradually whisk in the wine and then the milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking constantly and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, to taste. Let cool slightly.
- Transfer cooled bechamel to a large mixing bowl and add the spinach, ricotta, and eggs. Mix in rigatoni and transfer to a greased 9 by13-inch baking dish. Top with grated mozzarella. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned on top, the center is no longer runny, and the sides are bubbly.
BAKED RIGATONI WITH SPINACH, RICOTTA, AND FONTINA
I found this in an old issue of Food and Wine. It sounds quick and good. Here's how the magazine describes it. A quick take on spinach and ricotta cannelloni, this baked pasta is fast because there's nothing to stuff. The filling is simply tossed with cooked rigatoni that's then topped with fontina and baked to a golden brown.
Provided by lazyme
Categories Spinach
Time 45m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rigatoni until almost done, about 12 minutes.
- Drain.
- Put the pasta in the prepared baking dish and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil.
- Meanwhile, squeeze as much of the water as possible from the spinach.
- Put the spinach in a food processor and puree with the ricotta, 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan, the nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in half the fontina.
- Stir the spinach mixture into the pasta.
- Top with the remaining fontina and Parmesan.
- Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over the top.
- Bake the pasta until the top is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
- VARIATION:.
- You can substitute another chunky pasta, such as penne rigate, penne, ziti, or fusilli. Boil all of these one or two minutes less.
RIGATONI WITH SPINACH
Make and share this Rigatoni With Spinach recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Joanne
Categories European
Time 30m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Fill up a a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta.
- In large saute pan, on low heat (large enough to hold cooked pasta) add olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and saute for about 3 minutes.
- Add spinach, chicken bouillon cube, salt and freshly ground pepper and butter. Saute for about 2 minutes. Remover from heat.
- Cook pasta according to package. While pasta is cooking, add the starchy pasta cooking water to spinach and garlic. Stir to combine.
- Drain pasta, toss with sauce.
RIGATONI WITH RICOTTA CHEESE
This is very good. If you can't find the Barilla Al Forne Sauce, any spaghetti sauce tastes just great. I always use extra cheese in my recipes. I'm a cheese-a-holic. You know--admitting it is the first step LOL. Enjoy the recipe!
Provided by kzbhansen
Categories Cheese
Time 2h10m
Yield 1 casserole, 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Spray a 9x13-inch pan with Pam.
- Cook rigatoni as per directions on package; drain.
- Beat eggs in a small bowl.
- Stir in ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and parsley.
- To assemble casserole:.
- Spread 2 cups pasta sauce to cover bottom of pan.
- Place 1/2 of the cooked rigatoni over sauce; top with 1/2 the ricotta mixture dropped by spoonfuls.
- Layer 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 2 cups pasta sauce, remaining rigatoni, and remaining ricotta mixture.
- Top with 1 cup mozzarella, remaining pasta sauce then the last 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake 60-70 minutes until bubbly.
- Uncover and continue cooking for another 5 minutes until cheese melts.
- Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
CREAMY SPINACH & RIGATONI BAKE
Macaroni and cheese is one of the ultimate comfort foods. My recipe gives it an Italian twist. -Tammy Rex, New Tripoli, Pennsylvania
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 45m
Yield 10 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°. Cook rigatoni according to package directions., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook pancetta over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings; wipe skillet clean., In same pan, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until blended; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese blend until melted., Stir in artichokes, spinach and pancetta. Drain rigatoni; add to cheese sauce. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese., Bake, uncovered, until golden brown and bubbly, 20-25 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 643 calories, Fat 35g fat (20g saturated fat), Cholesterol 99mg cholesterol, Sodium 1438mg sodium, Carbohydrate 53g carbohydrate (8g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 28g protein.
Tips:
- Use fresh ingredients for the best flavor. Strive for fresh spinach, ricotta cheese, and fontina cheese.
- Don't overcook the pasta. Al dente is the perfect texture for baked rigatoni.
- Make sure to preheat the oven before baking the rigatoni. This will help the pasta cook evenly.
- Use a large baking dish to ensure the rigatoni has enough room to cook.
- If you don't have a meat grinder, you can finely chop the cooked sausage.
- Serve the baked rigatoni immediately with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Conclusion:
Baked rigatoni with spinach, ricotta, and fontina is a delicious and easy-to-make meal that is perfect for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion. With its creamy sauce, tender pasta, and flavorful sausage, this dish is sure to please everyone at the table. The key to making this dish successful is to use fresh ingredients and to cook the pasta al dente. You can also experiment with different types of sausage, such as Italian sausage or chorizo, to create a unique flavor. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal that is packed with flavor, give baked rigatoni with spinach, ricotta, and fontina a try. Enjoy!
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