Rigatoni Three Cheeses (Print-Friendly Version)

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 280 grams dried rigatoni

→ Sauce

02 - 1 handful torn fresh basil leaves
03 - 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
04 - 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
05 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
06 - 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, adjust as needed
07 - 800 grams crushed peeled tomatoes
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 medium sweet onion, chopped up
10 - 60 millilitres extra virgin olive oil

→ Ricotta Mixture

11 - 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - Kosher salt, just a pinch
13 - 25 grams grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
14 - 1 large egg
15 - 30 millilitres milk
16 - 225 grams whole milk ricotta cheese

→ Assembly

17 - 45 grams more grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, for layering and sprinkling on top
18 - 225 grams shredded mozzarella cheese

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - Let the baked pasta cool for about 10 minutes before you dig in. If you want, toss on some extra basil and grab some bread to scoop up the sauce.
02 - Cover the baking dish with parchment or wax paper, then wrap tightly with foil. You can put it on a baking sheet with foil underneath, just in case things bubble over. Bake for 30 minutes, then pull off the foil and paper. Keep baking uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the top gets golden and bubbly.
03 - Turn on the oven to 175°C. Spoon some sauce into the bottom of a deep 23x33 cm dish. Toss in half the pasta. Next, spread out half of what's left of the sauce. Drop half the ricotta mixture by the spoonful around the pan. Sprinkle on half the mozzarella and half the extra cheese. Do it all again with the rest of your rigatoni, sauce, dolloped ricotta, mozzarella, and extra cheese.
04 - Mix ricotta, milk, egg, and 25 grams cheese together in a bowl. Sprinkle in a little salt and pepper. Stir it up until it's creamy.
05 - Fill a big pot with salted water and let it boil. Cook your rigatoni only about halfway, based on the package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Pour in roughly 240 millilitres sauce and toss until all the pasta's coated.
06 - Pour olive oil into a large skillet and set it over medium heat. Toss in your chopped onion and let it get soft—about 10 minutes. Add in garlic and stir for a minute or two, but don't let it brown. Toss in black pepper, sugar, salt, and granulated garlic. Next, tip in the crushed tomatoes a bit at a time. Let it simmer for 10 minutes, stirring now and then. Toss in torn basil and let it gently cook for another 10 minutes, then taste and see if it needs anything else.

# Helpful Notes:

01 - You can swap in penne or ziti for the rigatoni and everything will turn out fine.
02 - Going with Romano will make things saltier than Parmesan, so ease up on extra salt.
03 - Need to feed more folks? Double everything and use a big catering pan, it still bakes up perfectly.
04 - If you pour in cold sauce, leave it in the oven at least 5 extra minutes so everything gets nice and hot.

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