Beef Pasta al Forno (Baked Rigatoni)

Pasta al Forno with Beef in a baking dish garnished with fresh basil.

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Pasta al Forno is my kind of comfort food: rigatoni coated in a hearty beef and tomato sauce, with mozzarella tucked throughout and a layer of melted cheese on top. It serves 6 hungry people, making it a good choice for a family dinner or a table full of friends.

Prep Time25

Cook Time1 5

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: Servings

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $25

Ingredients

1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1½ lbs Ground beef - Use lean ground beef
1 Medium onion (diced)
6 Garlic cloves (minced)
1 tbsp Fresh parsley (finely chopped)
1 tsp Dried basil leaves
1 tsp Dried oregano
1 tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp Black pepper
½ tsp Red pepper flakes - Use less or more, to taste
¼ tsp Paprika
½ cup Dry white wine
1 Large can of plum tomatoes - Use a large 28 oz (795 gram) can
1 Can of tomato sauce - Use a 15 oz (425 gram) can
1 lb Rigatoni pasta
12 oz Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
¾ cup Pecorino Romano cheese (grated)
Fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the Oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Brown the Meat. Add the extra virgin olive oil, ground beef, onion and minced garlic cloves to a large pan over medium-high heat. Break the beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and the onion has softened. Drain off the excess fat.
Season. Add the dried basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and paprika. Stir constantly for about a minute, until fragrant.
Deglaze. Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine has mostly evaporated.
Add Tomatoes. Add the plum tomatoes, tomato sauce and parsley. Bring to a gentle simmer. Break up the whole tomatoes with the back of a spoon and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes while you cook the pasta.
Cook Pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni for 2 to 3 minutes less than the package directions for al dente, then drain. It will continue cooking in the oven.
Layer. Spread a little meat sauce over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or similar ovenproof dish. In a large bowl, combine the pasta with about 5 cups of sauce and half the mozzarella. Transfer it to the dish, then top with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle over the mozzarella and Pecorino Romano.
Bake. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted. Let the pasta rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil.

Notes

Key Ingredient Notes:

Ground Meat: Traditional pasta al forno uses ground pork, beef, and/or Italian sausage. I wanted to make my recipe more accessible to those who don’t eat pork, so I am only using ground beef here. If you don’t eat beef, ground chicken or ground turkey would work too.
Spices: A combination of dried basil and dried oregano works really well here. But you can substitute with Italian seasoning. I also like using red pepper flakes and paprika for some warmth and heat, but you can adjust to your taste.
Wine: The recipe calls for a dry white wine. It deglazes the pan (loosens the browned bits) and adds flavor. You can use half a cup of broth instead. Or if you have red wine, that will work too.
Canned Tomatoes: To make this recipe accessible and easy to make, canned tomatoes are the way to go. You will need both Canned Plum Tomatoes (they will break down and leave nice chunks of tomato in the sauce) as well as Canned Tomato Sauce (to give the sauce body). Jarred tomato passata is a good option too.
Pasta: Rigatoni is traditional, and I like to use it. Its ridges and hollow centers catch the meat sauce. Penne or ziti are good alternatives.
Cheese: The combination of Mozzarella cheese and Pecorino Romano cheese is traditional. Use a dry mozzarella (the kind that can be cubed or shredded). Don’t use the fresh kind that is sold in brine or water. Parmesan cheese can be used instead of Pecorino.

Tips for Success:

Avoid mushy pasta. Taking the pasta out of the water 2 to 3 minutes early gives it room to finish cooking in the sauce without turning soft.
Use enough sauce. The pasta absorbs liquid in the oven, so coat it well and save some sauce for the top. If the sauce has become very thick while simmering, loosen it with a small splash of water before assembling.
Taste the sauce before assembling. Pecorino adds salt at the end, but the beef and tomatoes should still taste well seasoned on their own.

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