Cheesy Baked Rigatoni with Lamb Ragu
We've elevated the humble pasta bake to Sunday supper-worthy fare by using lamb instead of beef and swapping out the mozzarella often found on casseroles for Fontina, a mild, buttery, semi-soft cheese with a slight nuttiness. Substitute ground lamb for lean sausage or ground beef depending on your current taste bud needs.
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Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 8 oz white or cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 oz ground lamb, lean sausage or ground beef
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper
- 2 cups jarred unsalted pureed strained tomatoes (aka passata)
- 1/4 dry red wine
- 1 lb whole grain rigatoni (or any larger tube pasta like elicoidali, paccheri or tortiglioni)
- 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup coarsely grated (or tom) Fontina cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, optional
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Mist a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan (at least 3 qt), heat oil on medium-high. Add onion and sauté, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add lamb, oregano, salt and pepper and cook, breaking up with back of spoon, until browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Add tomatoes and wine; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring a separate large saucepan of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook al dente according to package directions. Drain and stir into lamb mixture.
5. Scrape into prepared baking dish. Using a teaspoon, dollop ricotta evenly over top; stir gently to incorporate into pasta. Sprinkle with Fontina. Cover loosely with foil and bake until cheese is bubbly, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven.
6. Arrange 1 oven rack in top third of oven; preheat broiler to high. Transfer dish to top rack; broil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with rosemary (if using).
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 1/2 cups
- Calories 339
- Carbohydrate Content 38 g
- Cholesterol Content 44 mg
- Fat Content 14 g
- Fiber Content 5 g
- Protein Content 18 g
- Saturated Fat Content 7 g
- Sodium Content 229 mg
- Sugar Content 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 1 g