Rigatoni al forno with béchamel sauce
Rigatoni al forno with béchamel sauce - this delicious, hearty, baked, golden cheesy pasta dish that is made with sausages, a rich sauce, béchamel and rigatoni. This is a really easy recipe for when you are feeding a crowd and it is easily adaptable!
Ingredients
Rigatoni
- 340 g Rigatoni
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Onion diced
- 4 Garlic Cloves crushed
- 350 g Sausages any you like, casein removed
- 750 g Plum tinned Tomatoes blended till smooth
- 125 ml Stock Chicken, Lamb, Beef or Veg
- 1 tsp Dry Italian Herbs
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Flakes
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Ground Black Pepepr
Bechamel
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 3 tbsp Plain Flour All Purpose Flour
- 250 ml Milk
Other
- 200 g Cheddar Grated
- 200 g Mozarella Grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
- Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a large pot bring water to a boil with a large pinch of salt and cook the rigatoni according to package directions (minus 2 minutes).
- In a medium sized pot over medium high heat, add the butter. Allow to melt then add olive oil and onions. Saute for 2 - 3 minutes.
- Add in the Garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove the Sausages from their cases and either place into the pot and smoosh with the back of a wooden spoon or chop into chunks, then add to pot. Then cook until browned.
- Add tomatoes, stock, Italian herbs, chilli, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Cook on medium high till the tomatoes and oil separate at the side. About 10 minutes.
- Add the pasta to the sausage mixture and stir until combined.
- Make a béchamel by melting butter in a pan and adding flour. Whisk till smooth. Cook until light golden then add milk slowly. Whisk and continue to cook on medium low till thickened.
- Add half the pasta to the baking dish. Pour over half the béchamel and mix through. Add half the cheese and then add the remaining pasta, white sauce and cheese on top. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Notes
Tips for making Baked Rigatoni
- Make Ahead - This recipe can be assembled up to 12 hours before baking. Store it in the fridge until needed.
- Pasta - The pasta needed here is Rigatoni but you can try other shapes of pasta that are of a similar size such as Penne or Fusilli.
- Cheese - It is best to grate your own cheese as pre grated cheese usually has a coating on it that affects how it melts. Use your favourite melty cheese in place of the ones suggested here.
- Stir Vegetables into the sauce - You can add veggies such as chopped mushrooms, spinach and peppers into the sauce.
- Sausages - I use lamb sausages in this recipe. Feel free to use your favourite kind.
Serving Suggestions
This pasta is great served with a number of dishes, such as veggies or garlic bread. Try it with - Tenderstem Broccoli Roast Vegetables with Feta and Pine Nuts Korean Garlic BreadMake Ahead, Storage and Leftovers
Make Ahead - Prepare the recipe up until it needs to be baked. Cover with cling film or foil and leave in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bake as per recipe instructions. Leftovers - Any leftovers can be placed in a dish covered with cling film or airtight container for ip to 3 days. To reheat, place in the microwave for 1 - 2 minutes till warmed through. To Freeze - If you want to freeze the pasta and your freezer is prone to freezer burn, cover the pasta dish (make sure it is freezer freindly!) in cling film and 2 layers of foil before freezing. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. To cook - When you’re ready to cook, cook at 350 F/180 C/GM 4 for 75 - 90 minutes until warmed all the way through. but you’ll need to keep an eye on it to be sure.Nutrition
Calories: 574kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 25gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 1162mgPotassium: 336mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 913IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 367mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!