Rigatoni Pie

By MystiQ

Ingredients

• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2-3 cloves of minced garlic
• 1/2 a pound of ground beef
• 1/2 a pound of ground pork
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/2 cup of red wine
• 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• Bunch of fresh basil
• 1 16 oz container of ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1-1.5 boxes of rigatoni pasta
• Olive oil
• Parmesan cheese
• Shredded mozzarella

Details

Adapted from pinterest.com

Preparation

Step 1

Meat sauce:
Sauté yellow onion until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in 2-3 cloves of minced garlic. Stir frequently to avoid burning, 2-3 minutes.
Add ground beef and ground pork and stir until no longer pink.
Salt and pepper the meat.
Turn up the heat slightly to medium-high,
Add red wine. Allow all the wine to evaporate, 5-10 minutes
Stir in can of crushed tomatoes.
Place a bunch of fresh basil on the surface of the sauce and allow the leaves to wilt, 3-5 minutes. Push the basil under the surface of the sauce and stir.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the basil.
Cover partially and simmer for at least 1 hour, but the longer the better. If too much moisture evaporates, add water 1/4 cup at a time.
Cool to room temperature before using in the pie. You will have left over meat sauce

Mix ricotta cheese with egg.

Undercook rigatoni pasta by 3 minutes from what is indicated on the box. Cool to room temperature. Toss with olive oil and parmesan cheese.

Holding a spring form pan at a slight angle, arrange the noodles so that they rest one on top of another. Fill the pan completely and force in a couple extra noodles where possible so that there is a tight, uniform fit.

Spread the ricotta mixture over the full surface of the noodles. Spread meat sauce on top of the ricotta. Press both mixtures down with a spatula so that they sink into the noodles.
Bake at 400F for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the surface of the pie.
Bake another 10-15 at 400F until the cheese begins to bubble and turn golden.
Allow the pie to rest 15 minutes. Run a knife around the perimeter before releasing the spring form.