I wanted to do a stuffed rigatoni dish, and tried stuffing cooked shells with a piping bag. What a PITA! So I decided to try stuffing uncooked shells and allow them to cook in the sauce. It worked!! And it is much easier to stuff an uncooked shell with firm ingredients.
However, even though it is easier this way, it is still labor intensive!
Mushroom and Ricotta Stuffed Rigatoni
Ingredients
Rigatoni Tubes – about 50 or so, uncooked
1 cup Ricotta Cheese
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 Package Baby Bella (portabella) Mushrooms
4 cups spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
Procedure
The spaghetti sauce can be your favorite homemade, jarred, or canned sauce. Feel free to add meat to it if you like.
Using a food processor, grind the mushrooms into a fine mince. In a large bowl, mix the Ricotta cheese and minced mushrooms until thoroughly incorporated.
Now the hard part. Take an uncooked Rigatoni tube and press it into the cheese and mushroom mixture. You’ll need to press into the mixture several times. Once you have done so, the tube will be filled with the cheese and mushroom mixture. Once it is filled, place it into an oven safe baking dish.
Repeat this stuffing process until you’ve stuffed enough shells for your dinner, or you’re out the cheese mixture. When you place the stuffed tubes into the pan, you have several options depending on your pan. You can lay them all flat to make a “sheet” of stuffed tubes, or you can stack them in a smaller dish. If stacking, add sauce to each layer.
Once all the tubes are in the baking dish, add 1 cup of water to your sauce. this extra liquid will be absorbed by the Rigatoni as it cooks. Pour the sauce and water mixture over the tubes and cover. Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Uncover and check for doneness by poking a tube with a fork,. If it is soft and pliable, it is ready, otherwise, cover and bake 10 – 15 minutes more. Once the tubes are done, uncover the dish and top with the shredded mozzarella. Return the dish to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Notes
This is an excellent candidate for a single serving dish. If you have some large ramekins or other oven save individually sized dishes, consider using them. By using two ramekins, you have the makings for an awesome dinner for two that is visually fun to present and eat. Just add some good sides and you’re ready to go.
However, even though it is easier this way, it is still labor intensive!
Mushroom and Ricotta Stuffed Rigatoni
Ingredients
Rigatoni Tubes – about 50 or so, uncooked
1 cup Ricotta Cheese
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 Package Baby Bella (portabella) Mushrooms
4 cups spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
Procedure
The spaghetti sauce can be your favorite homemade, jarred, or canned sauce. Feel free to add meat to it if you like.
Using a food processor, grind the mushrooms into a fine mince. In a large bowl, mix the Ricotta cheese and minced mushrooms until thoroughly incorporated.
Now the hard part. Take an uncooked Rigatoni tube and press it into the cheese and mushroom mixture. You’ll need to press into the mixture several times. Once you have done so, the tube will be filled with the cheese and mushroom mixture. Once it is filled, place it into an oven safe baking dish.
Repeat this stuffing process until you’ve stuffed enough shells for your dinner, or you’re out the cheese mixture. When you place the stuffed tubes into the pan, you have several options depending on your pan. You can lay them all flat to make a “sheet” of stuffed tubes, or you can stack them in a smaller dish. If stacking, add sauce to each layer.
Once all the tubes are in the baking dish, add 1 cup of water to your sauce. this extra liquid will be absorbed by the Rigatoni as it cooks. Pour the sauce and water mixture over the tubes and cover. Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Uncover and check for doneness by poking a tube with a fork,. If it is soft and pliable, it is ready, otherwise, cover and bake 10 – 15 minutes more. Once the tubes are done, uncover the dish and top with the shredded mozzarella. Return the dish to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Notes
This is an excellent candidate for a single serving dish. If you have some large ramekins or other oven save individually sized dishes, consider using them. By using two ramekins, you have the makings for an awesome dinner for two that is visually fun to present and eat. Just add some good sides and you’re ready to go.
