IN THE POT | BAKED RIGATONI WITH TOMATO & SOPRESSA SALAMI

Sometimes I don’t cook the dinner (I know. Shocked, right?) HUBBY does and it’s great.  I don’t know what it is about eating a meal that you didn’t prepare that always makes it taste nicer.

I like to do a (loose) meal plan for our week so when I’m procrastinating on what to make I can just go to the list.  It also helps when I do our grocery shop.

When HUBBY volunteered to cook the only thing left on the list was this baked rigatoni. Now, according to HUBBY it was really easy to make (even easier if you don’t over cook the pasta).

All I know is it tasted awesome and it gave Little Man his first taste of salami.

Baked Rigatoni with Tomato & Sopressa Salami

2 tsp Olive Oil

150 g Sopressa Salami, thinly sliced from the deli, cut in 6 pieces

1/2 small Brown Onion, finely chopped

2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped

2 sprigs Fresh Thyme

1 Bay Leaf

1 small Carrot, peeled and grated

8 medium Vine Ripened Tomatoes, roughly chopped

350 g Rigatoni Pasta

1 tbsp Basil, roughly chopped

100 g Delre Mozzarella (from the deli), torn into large pieces

1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano Parmesan Cheese, finely grated

extra Basil, garnish to serve

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.

2. Place a large heavy based saucepan over medium-high heat and add olive oil.

3. Add salami and cook stirring occasionally for 3 minutes or until browned. Remove salami from pan and set aside. Drain half the oil from pan and return to heat.

4. Add onions and cook stirring often for 2 minutes or until onions are soft. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

5. Add garlic, thyme, bay leaf and carrots and cook for a further 2 minutes.

6. Add tomatoes and cook covered, over medium heat for about 10 minutes until tomatoes have broken down slightly and sauce has started to thicken. Add salami back to sauce and cook a further 5 minutes.

7. While sauce is cooking, place the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to packet directions. Drain pasta in a colander and add to the pan of tomato sauce along with the basil and stir well to coat.

8. Season pasta with salt and pepper to taste and pour into a 20x20cm baking dish. Sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan evenly over the top.

9. Place pasta in oven on top rack and cook for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown on top.

10. Remove pasta from the oven and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.
Optional: Garnish with extra basil to serve.

Source: Coles Feed Your Family