Rigatoni al Forno – Baked Pasta Like an Italian

Rigatoni al forno is a classic Italian dish: hearty meat sauce, melting cheese, and perfectly cooked pasta from the oven. With this recipe, you can easily make this casserole at home – with exactly the taste you know from your favorite Italian restaurant.

Ingredients for 4 servings

(For a rectangular baking dish approx. 20 x 26 cm)

• 350g Rigatoni

• 1 onion

• 1 garlic clove

• 100g cooked ham

• 300g ground beef

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 100g Tomato paste

• 250ml beef broth

• 250g cream (30% or 15% cooking cream)

• 1 tbsp Italian herbs (dried or fresh)

• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

• 150g frozen peas

• 50g grated mozzarella cheese

• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Preparation

Cook rigatoni in plenty of salted water according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain. In the meantime:

• Finely chop the onion and garlic

• Finely dice the ham

2. Prepare the meat sauce

Heat olive oil in a large pan. Brown the ground meat until crisp. Add the onion and garlic and sauté briefly.
Stir in the tomato paste and sauté briefly. This adds extra flavor.

Deglaze with beef broth and cream, stir well, and simmer over medium heat for at least 15 minutes—better 30 minutes if you have time.
Stir in Italian herbs, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese.

3. Preheat oven

Preheat oven to 180°C (top/bottom heat).

4. Assemble the casserole

Mix the rigatoni, meat sauce, frozen peas, and ham well in a large casserole dish.
Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella.

5. Bake

Bake the dish on the middle rack for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden yellow.

Serving suggestions

Perfect with:

• A green salad with balsamic dressing

• A glass of strong red wine

• Fresh ciabatta or garlic bread

Nutritional values ​​per serving (approx.)

• Calories: 775kcal

• Carbohydrates: 82g

• Protein: 37g

• Fat: 33g