Rigatoni

By contessawannabe

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 jars Via Elisa Passionately Perfect Tomato Sauce
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 pound rigatoni
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 1/2 pounds whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add ground beef, and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to break up any large pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain, and set aside. Add one jar of sauce and heat through.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add rigatoni, and cook, stirring occasionally, 9 minutes. Drain in a colander, and rinse under cool water until cool. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta with half of the mozzarella, cooked rigatoni, meat mixture, 1 cup of sauce and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.
To assemble, spread ½ cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the rigatoni mixture in an even layer. Spread with ½ cup sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella and ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Place baking dish on a baking sheet, and transfer to oven. Bake until bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot.