Baked Rigatoni with Sausage Ragu

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare your ingredients: finely chop 1 yellow onion and mince 2 garlic cloves. Grate 50 g Parmesan cheese. Remove casing from 300 g Italian sausage. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) and lightly oil a 20x30 cm baking dish or oven-safe skillet.

2. 2

   Heat 30 ml extra virgin olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until softened and translucent without letting them brown.

3. 3

   Crumble the sausage meat directly into the skillet. Turn heat up to medium-high and cook for 6 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces with your wooden spoon, until browned throughout and no pink remains.

4. 4

   Pour in 400 ml tomato passata and add a pinch of salt. Lower the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 12 minutes until thick and rich. If the sauce thickens too quickly, stir in a splash of water and lower the heat slightly.

5. 5

   Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water with 1 teaspoon of salt to a rolling boil over high heat. Add 350 g rigatoni and cook for 8 minutes until slightly firm (al dente). Reserve 50 ml of cooking water, then drain the pasta.

6. 6

   Mix the drained rigatoni and reserved water into the skillet with ragu sauce. Pour into the baking dish, sprinkle 50 g grated Parmesan on top, and bake at 200°C for 10 minutes until bubbly and golden. Serve hot.