Shortcut Baked Rigatoni with Meatballs

There are so many end-of-the-school-year parties this time of year. A great time to share a crowd-pleasing casserole! I brought this baked pasta dish to my son’s pre-County Championship Swim Meet pasta dinner. I was thrilled when my friend’s husband asked for the recipe. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from such a fun book- Mad Genius Tips: Over 90 Expert Hacks + 100 Delicious Recipes by Justin Chapple and the Editors of Food and Wine. I love Chapple’s column in the printed magazine and knew I would enjoy this book as well. The pasta and the meatballs cook in the oven. Truly genius!

• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground beef or ground turkey
• 1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup lightly packed basil, torn or chiffonade, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ziti, rigatoni, rotini, fusilli, shells, or campanelle pasta
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 28 oz (about 3 cups) prepared marinara sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. In a large bowl, combine the pork, beef/turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, 1/3 cup torn basil, 1/4 cup of Parmesan and 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper; mix well.
3. Using a cookie scoop, form the meat mixture into one-inch balls.
4. In a 9-by-13-inch ceramic baking dish, spread half of the pasta in an even layer.
5. Arrange half of the meatballs (about 16) and mozzarella on the pasta.
6. Spoon half of the marinara on top and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
7. Repeat with the remaining pasta, meatballs, cheese, and marinara. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
8. Place baking dish on a rimmed cookie sheet. Add 2 1/2 cups of water to the baking dish and cover tightly with foil.
9. Bake for about 1 hour, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
10. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes longer, until lightly browned.
11. Let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with basil and parmesan and serve.

Make Ahead: The baked pasta can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently.

Two Years Ago:

• Penne with Vodka-Cream Sauce

Three Years Ago:

• Margherita Pizza with 24-Hour Crust
• 24-Hour Pizza Dough
• Perfect Pizza Sauce #2

Four Years Ago:

• Moussaka

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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