RIGATONI IN PARCHMENT w/5 CHEESES

By BobD

Ingredients

• Ingredients:
• Rigatoni ai Cinque Formaggi in Cartoccio
• Makes 6 Servings
• 6 quarts salted water
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 pound rigatoni
• 2 cups fresh ricotta or one 15-ounce container ricotta
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 6 fresh sage leaves
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (about 5 ounces)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Fontina cheese (about 5 ounces)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Procedure:

Bring the salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 475 degrees F and place a rack in the center position.

Fold six 26 by 18-inch sheets of parchment paper in half to form 18 by 13-inch rectangles. (Alternatively, tear off six 30-inch lengths from a 12-inch-wide roll of parchment paper and fold them in half crosswise to form 15 by 12-inch rectangles.)

Using 2 tablespoons of the butter, grease the center of each rectangle and six individual ovenproof dishes, each about 10 by 4 inches, or one ovenproof dish large enough (at least 18 by 12 inches) to hold the parchment packages side by side without touching.

Stir the rigatoni into the boiling water. Cover the pot and reheat to boiling, stirring once or twice. When the water returns to a boil, uncover the pot. Cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until quite al dente - with a visible ring of white in the center - about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the ricotta and cream. Stir in the thyme.

In a small skillet over very low heat, combine the remaining 6 tablespoons butter with the sage leaves. Heat the butter slowly, stirring it once or twice, until melted and creamy but not separated. Remove from heat.

Drain the rigatoni well and add it to the ricotta mixture. Toss well to coat.

Place one of the parchment rectangles on a work surface with one of the long sides toward you. (If you have enough space, you can fill and roll all the packages at the same time.) Place one sixth of the rigatoni mixture in a mound over the lower right-hand quarter of the rectangle, about 2 inches from the edge of the parchment.

Sprinkle the mound of pasta with one sixth each of the Swiss cheese, the Fontina, and finally, the two grated cheeses. Discard the sage leaves and drizzle some of the butter over the pasta.

To make the packages, fold the long side of the parchment nearest you over the rigatoni and continue rolling the parchment into a loose cone that encloses the rigatoni. Tuck the large open end of the cone underneath the package and place the cartoccio seam side down into aprepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining parchment and filling.

If using one large baking dish, transfer the packages to the dish, leaving some space in between each.
Place the individual dishes or the large dish on the oven rack.

Bake until the tops of the paper packages are well browned and the cheese is melted, about 8 minutes, if using individual dishes, slightly longer for packages baked in one large dish.

Serve immediately and let eachguest open a package and spoon the pasta onto a hot plate.