August 6, 2013

Mamma Mia, Pasta Pia....

Actually I mean.... pasta PIE!
but Mamma Mia, Pasta Pia just rhymes better.

Yes, I will stick to cooking and DIY-ing rather than trying to be a poet. haha.
Pasta pie.  I love pie. Bluberry, apple, pumpkin... you name it.

Since I can't get enough of cultivating food...
and taking everyday food and changing it up-
I shall continue to cultivate dishes and make it my own.

Pasta in the shape of a pie.  Who wouldn't like this right?

This dish is very easy to make as long as you have a smaller size cake pan.
Unless you are making it for a larger group-- then just use a regular size cake pan!


Boil an entire box of rigatoni in salted water. Once it is 90% cooked in hot boiling water--
pour the pasta noodles into a strainer/collander. Do NOT rinse the cooked rigatoni.
(you want to keep the starchy part of the pasta-- this simply helps the tomato sauce
adhere to the pasta.)  (Also boil/cook the pasta to 90% because you're going to finish
it off in the oven and you don't want over-cooked pasta!)

Carefully lay the rigatoni into the cake pan. I like to use the 'spring form' ones---
the cake pans where the side comes undone... but you can also make and just
serve it from the cake pan as well. Don't feel that you have to go out and buy
this type of cake pan.   


Sprinkle a little cheese (Parmesan cheese recommended--
about 1/2 cup) on top of the rigatoni.
Lastly, pour your favorite red sauce (with or without meat) and add a handful....
nah, add 2 handfuls of shredded mozzarella cheese on top. (2 cups)
Bake it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.... 
basically until the cheese melts.



Take your pasta pie out and let it sit for 10-15 minutes so that all the cheese and sauce
gets a chance to settle and get their yum-iness on!

Mamma Mia.....  Pasta Pia-Pie is delicious!   


Zestfully, Let's Cultivate Food