Rigatoni tossed in a creamy tomato sauce with browned Italian sausage and sweet sauteed fennel, topped with mozzarella and Parmesan and baked bubbling.
Use hot Italian sausage and skip the pepper flakes for more heat. Assemble up to a day ahead and refrigerate covered; add 10 minutes to the bake.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 1 lb rigatoni
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
- 1 fennel bulb
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (1 can)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella
- 2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano (divided)
- 1 yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp salt for pasta water
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 1 lb rigatoni
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
- 1 fennel bulb
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (1 can)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella
- 2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano (divided)
- 1 yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp salt for pasta water
Instructions
Par-cook the rigatoni
Heat the oven to 400°F and bring a large pot of water to a boil with salt for pasta water (2 tbsp), about 10 minutes.
Cook rigatoni (1 lb) until it is still firm in the center, a little short of the package time, about 9 minutes, then drain.
Equipment: large pot
Brown the sausage and fennel
Heat olive oil (1 tbsp) in the skillet over medium-high heat and brown sweet Italian sausage (1 lb), breaking it up, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F, about 8 minutes.
Add fennel bulb, yellow onion and kosher salt (1 tsp) and cook until soft and golden, about 8 minutes.
Stir in garlic (4 cloves), fennel seeds (1 tsp) and red pepper flakes (½ tsp) until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Equipment: large skillet
Make the cream sauce
Add crushed tomatoes (28 oz) and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
Stir in heavy cream (1 cup) and warm through, about 2 minutes.
Equipment: large skillet
Assemble
Toss the drained rigatoni with the sauce and Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 oz) and spread it in the baking dish, about 2 minutes.
Scatter fresh mozzarella (8 oz) and the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 oz) over the top, about 1 minute.
Equipment: 9x13-inch baking dish
Bake and rest
Bake until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the cheese is browned in spots, about 20 minutes.
Rest for 5 minutes before serving, then scatter with the reserved fennel fronds.
Equipment: 9x13-inch baking dish
Tomorrow's Meal
Crispy Rigatoni Skillet Cakes
Chilled leftover baked rigatoni sliced into squares and seared in olive oil until the edges turn crunchy and the cheese caramelizes.
Quick overview:
- 1.Cut cold leftover rigatoni into squares.
- 2.Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- 3.Sear the squares until crisp and browned on both sides.
- 4.Serve with a spoon of warm marinara or a green salad.
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Assemble up to a day ahead and refrigerate covered; add 10 minutes to the bake.
- • Use hot Italian sausage and skip the pepper flakes for more heat.
- • Leftovers keep 4 days; reheat covered in a 350°F oven with a splash of water.
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