Two Cheese and Salami Stuffed Rigatoni With Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce

I usually make this ricotta, parmesan and salami stuffing for baked stuffed artichokes (which are great!) but when I saw some particularly large rigatoni pasta in the market, I thought  ”Wouldn’t that be just delicious?!”

I passed on those big rigatoni that first day, and actually went back to the store the next day to buy them – I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. I am glad I did because this dish is absolutely fantastic! Like a manicotti, but a more perfect balance between the filling and the pasta.  The Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce was just the right, light finish for topping the rich and flavorful filling.

 

 

Put water on to boil for the pasta. If you are making a Fresh Tomato and Basil Sauce for this, the water is fine to use to blanch the tomatoes for removing the skins before you cook the rigatoni!

Cook the pasta, rinse and drain thoroughly. Make the stuffing mixture.

Stuffing Ingredients for Baked Ricotta Recipe: (enough for about 36 large rigatoni)

• 1 pint whole milk ricotta
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 inch slice of a large genoa salami, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt

 

Combine all the ingredients thoroughly. Put the filling in either a pastry bag, or a quart sized ziploc bag with a corner snipped off. 

 

When the pasta has cooled, simply pipe the filling into the rigatoni. Place filled rigatoni in a single layer in a large shallow casserole dish, or in individual serving baking dishes if you prefer.

 

Cover the pasta with the tomato sauce (either fresh or your own favorite) and grate some more parmesan on top of that.

Place in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until thoroughly heated and the cheese has melted.

A perfect bite of cheesy filling, pasta and tomato sauce!