Ingredients
| 1 ½ lbs | Pastene Italian Rigatoni , 1 ½ bags | |
| 8 oz | mozzarella cheese block, coarsely grated | |
| ¼ cup | Pastene Grated Romano Cheese to coat the cooked rigatoni | |
| 2-3 Tbsp | Pastene Extra Virgin Olive Oil | |
| 1 | medium sweet onion, chopped | |
| 2 Tbsp | Pastene Minced Garlic | |
| 8 oz | weet Italian sausage, ground or removed from casings | |
| 1 | 28 oz can Pastene Kitchen Ready Tomatoes with Basil | |
| 3 Tbsp | Pastene Double Concentrate Tomato Paste | |
| 3-4 oz | Pastene Sun-Dried Peppers, finely chopped | |
| 1 ½ tsp | salt | |
| 1 ½ tsp | black pepper, freshly ground | |
| 4 Tbsp | butter | |
| 3 Tbsp | all-purpose flour | |
| 2 cups | whole milk | |
| ½ tsp | ground nutmeg |
Directions
- In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add minced garlic, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent the garlic from burning.
- Add the ground sausage to the pan and break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks and browns. Cook for about 5 to 8 minutes until the sausage is cooked through and broken into small pieces. Add the tomato paste to the pan and stir to combine it with the sausage and onion mixture. Add the Kitchen Ready tomatoes, sun-dried peppers, 1 ½ tsp salt and pepper to the pan and stir to combine. Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.
- While the tomato sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook for 9 to 10 minutes until a little less than al dente. Strain the pasta and let it cool for a few minutes.
- Wrap the outside of an 9” springform pan with aluminum fall and place on a baking sheet. Ladle a few scoops of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the springform pan; spreading the sauce around the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Sprinkle a ¼ cup of romano on the rigatoni and stir or shake with lid on the pot to coat, then arrange the pasta upright in the pan and set aside.
- Meanwhile, for the béchamel, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium-sized sauce pan. Once the butter is completely melted, add the flour and stir until the mixture is a smooth consistency. Continue to cook over medium heat until the mixture turns a light golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- While the butter/flour mixture is cooking, heat the milk in a separate sauce pan until it is just about to boil and small bubbles begin to form around the edges. Pour the milk into the butter/flour mixture in a steady stream, whisking continuously, until the mixture thickens and is smooth. Cook the béchamel for another minute and then remove from the heat. Stir in 1 tsp. salt, nutmeg and romano cheese, until well combined.
- Pour the béchamel sauce over the pasta and spread it around with a spatula, gently pushing it into the pasta holes. Lightly tap the springform pan onto the baking tray a few times. Next, pour enough of the sauce over the pasta to cover the top, spread it around with a spatula and gently tap the pan onto the baking sheet a few more times. Completely cover the top of the pasta with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Set any remaining tomato sauce aside.
- Place in an oven preheated to 375° F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the cheese on top is golden in color. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. When slightly cooled, carefully release and remove the side of the springform pan. Cut the baked rigatoni like a pie slice and serve topped with any remaining tomato sauce, if desired.
