Rigatoni with Tomato Sauce and Cheese

Ingredients

• 400 g dry rigatoni
• 2 tbsp olive oil (For sautéing and greasing)
• 1 onion (Chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic (Chopped or crushed)
• 500 g ground beef (Preferably approximately 85% lean ground beef)
• 800 g peeled tomatoes (May be crushed or mashed)
• salt (To taste; also use in the cooking water)
• black pepper (To taste)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 200 g grated mozzarella (For topping)
• 30 g grated Parmesan (Optional, for browning)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven or the air fryer in oven mode to 200 °C. Set aside a baking dish or pan that can be used in the appliance and lightly grease it with some of the olive oil.

2. 2

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. When the water is vigorously boiling, add the rigatoni and cook until al dente, following the time indicated on the package. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water.

3. 3

   Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.

4. 4

   Add the garlic and sauté for approximately 30 seconds, just until fragrant, without letting it brown too much.

5. 5

   Add the ground beef. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring and breaking up the pieces, until no longer pink and beginning to brown.

6. 6

   Add the peeled tomatoes, oregano, black pepper, and a moderate amount of salt. Stir and let the sauce simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes, until thickened. If it becomes too thick, adjust with a little of the reserved cooking water.

7. 7

   Add the cooked rigatoni to the sauce and mix gently, coating all the pasta without breaking it. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

8. 8

   Transfer the pasta to the prepared dish. Spread the mozzarella over the entire surface and finish with the Parmesan.

9. 9

   Bake at 200 °C for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted and developed golden-brown spots. In an air fryer, check after 8 minutes, as the surface may brown more quickly.

10. 10

    Let rest for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce can settle and the pasta will be easier to portion.

Notes

The provided content contains only the title “Rigatoni” and advertising for an oven-style air fryer; no written recipe, quantities, audio, or preparation images are available. The recipe above is an approximate culinary reconstruction, not a faithful transcription of the video.

Nutrition per serving

• main course
• pasta
• Italian
• baked
• air fryer
• with meat
• with cheese
• comfort food