If I had a photo, I would most certainly use it. That is... unless the photo I have sucks. For now, you'll just have to picture a big heaping helping of
Spicy sausage ragu and a luxuriously smooth pesto & parmesan bechamel - need I say more? Oh, and there’s cheese.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds dried rigatoni, the larger ones
Olive oil
1 large carrot
1 stalk celery
1/2 large onion, any color is fine really
1 pound spicy Italian sausage
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cloves minced garlic
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
Kosher salt & coarse ground pepper
4 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons basil pesto
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Cook pasta in a lot of boiling, salted water 9 minutes, drain well, then put into a large bowl and gently toss with about a tablespoon of the oil - set aside to cool
Chop carrot, celery and onion into medium chunks, and blend or process until finely chopped up - set aside
Heat a large pan over medium/high heat, add a tablespoon of oil and the sausage
Cook, breaking up into very small pieces just until there’s no more red, 4-5 minutes
Add the carrot mixture, and stir through well to combine
Then add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes - mix well and let cook a couple minutes
Make a place in the middle, add a teaspoon of oil and the garlic - and after about 30 seconds when it becomes super fragrant, mix it in
Add the tomatoes, a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of pepper, stir well to combine then turn down to a low simmer and leave 15 - 20 minutes to let the flavors build
Preheat oven to 400
Let’s make the bechamel: in a small pot melt the butter, then whisk in the flour a little at a time, stirring well all the way (we don’t want a lumpy bechamel)
Now start whisking in the milk a little at a time until it’s all been incorporated - no lumps
Add a good pinch salt & pepper and the garlic powder - whisk well
Leave to simmer on low until it thickens, then stir in the parmesan and pesto - damn it’s getting good - mix well
Grease a spring form pan, and start standing up the now cooled rigatoni, until the pan is completely filled
Now drizzle the bechamel evenly over the rigatoni, try to drizzle some into the rigatoni tubes
Spoon the sausage ragu over the top of the bechamel until covered - you prob won’t use it all, and that’s fine, because it freezes well and you can use it for about a thousand other things
Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes
Remove the foil, and top evenly with the mozzarella, and return to the oven uncovered for 15 minutes
Remove, and let rest loosely covered with foil another 15 minutes or so to firm up a bit before cutting
