Rigatoni Pesto Pie
Rigatoni noodles filled with pesto and ricotta cheese, so you get the perfect bite every time! Top with your favorite pasta sauce and mozzarella cheese, then bake to perfection!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb. large rigatoni (I use #24)
- 2 c. basil pesto
- 1 c. ricotta cheese
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 c. pasta sauce (I use Raos)
- 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 T. chopped basil ribbons for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni according to package directions for al dente. (Pasta should be firm enough to stand up in the springform pan.)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with olive oil or butter; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix pesto with ricotta. Add olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a circle tip.
- Carefully place cooked rigatoni upright in the pan so that they are all touching and resemble a honeycomb.
- Fill each rigatoni noodle with the pesto and ricotta mixture (I used a piping bag). Top with pasta sauce, and cover with shredded mozzarella.
- Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly. To brown the top, turn the heat up to broil for 1-2 minutes.
- Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Run a knife along the edge of the pan to help release the pie from the pan. Remove the ring. Garnish with fresh basil ribbons and serve!
This is my next dinner for a group! Thanks
Yay, I hope they love it! It’s a little labor-intensive, but well worth it! Your guests will be impressed!
Allow extra time to stand the rigatoni up in the pan, and to individually fill each one with filling (even if you’re using a piping filler), but the end result will be worth the extra labor. I suggest using 1/2 the salt called for as the filling came out too salty, in my opinion (the pesto adds enough salt to the filling, no need to add much more). And use about 1/2 to 3/4 of the mozzarella if you like to see some sauce on top, eg, like in the picture posted with the recipe. But this dish turned out beautifully nonetheless, and I’ll be adding it to my special occasion rotation!