Honeycomb Pasta Cake Bake (Printable Version)

Baked rigatoni layers with creamy ricotta and mozzarella, topped with savory tomato sauce for impressive gatherings.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound rigatoni

→ Cheese Filling

02 - 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
03 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
04 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 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 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
16 - 1/2 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 - extra 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, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 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 for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix well until smooth.
05 - Stand rigatoni upright, tightly packed, in the prepared pan. Using a piping bag or spoon, fill each tube with the ricotta mixture.
06 - Pour tomato sauce evenly over the filled pasta, letting it seep down between the noodles. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese over the top.
07 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking another 15 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbling.
08 - Let stand for 10 minutes before releasing the springform pan. Garnish with extra parsley and Parmesan. Slice and serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Show-stopping appearance for gatherings
02 -
  • Rigatoni works best because its wide tubes hold more cheese filling
  • Letting the cake rest before slicing helps it hold together neatly
03 -
  • Use a piping bag for easy and even cheese filling
  • Cover with foil while baking to avoid overbrowning the cheese
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