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top view of baked rigatoni with pancetta dish

Baked Rigatoni with Pancetta

This Baked Rigatoni with Pancetta is the ultimate comfort food. Layers of flavour create a surprisingly complex meal in one pan. Al dente pasta, creamy bechamel, and melted mozzarella are studded with crisp pancetta, complimented by woodsy mushrooms, fresh spinach, and finished with beautiful sharp parmesan broiled to a crisp. This delicious Baked Rigatoni is time consuming to make, but I promise you that this amazing meal is worth every minute and will become a favourite in your home as it is in ours.
5 from 10 votes
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Course: dinner
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: baked pasta, bechamel sauce, crimini mushrooms, mozarella, parmesan, pasatta, pasta, rigatoni, spinach
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 53 minutes
Total Time: 58 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 452kcal
Author: Anneke Silva

Equipment

  • Small pot
  • Heavy Bottomed Pan
  • Wooden spoon
  • Whisk
  • Cheese grater
  • Chef's Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Baking pan

Ingredients

Bechamel Sauce

  • 2 tbsp Unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp All-purpose flour
  • 2¼ cups Whole milk
  • 2 cups Parmesan grated

Baked Rigatoni with Pancetta

  • ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
  • 150 grams Pancetta minced
  • 1 Large onion chopped
  • 4 cloves Garlic chopped
  • 680 ml Passata
  • ¼ cup Fresh basil
  • 2 box Rigatoni (~500g per box, 1kg total)
  • 250 grams Mozzarella
  • 2 Crimini mushrooms
  • 2 cups Baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan grated
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • Fresh Pepper to taste
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bechamel

  • Melt the butter on medium heat.
  • Add the flour and whisk. Cook for 1 minute.
    Add the flour and whisk. Cook for 1 minute.
  • Slowly pour in the milk, then cook for 10 minutes.
    Slowly pour in the milk, then cook for 10 minutes.
  • Mix in the grated Parmesan and remove from the heat and set aside.
    Mix in the grated Parmesan and remove from the heat and set aside.

Baked Rigatoni with Pancetta

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  • Boil a large pot of heavily salted water and cook your rigatoni for 5 minutes. It will be extremely al dente.
  • Drain the pasta and set aside.
    Drain the pasta and set aside.
  • Pour the oil into a large heavy bottomed pan on medium high.
  • When the oil starts to glisten, add the pancetta. Cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add the mushrooms and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  • Add the chopped onion and cook for 8 minutes.
    Add the chopped onion and cook for 8 minutes.
  • Pour in the passata and cook for 5 minutes.
    Pour in the passata and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add the drained pasta to the baking pan, along with the basil, spinach, mozzarella, béchamel, and salt.
  • Mix to combine, then sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.
    Mix to combine, then sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.
  • Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
  • Turn the oven to broil and cook for 5 minutes until browned and bubbling.
    Turn the oven to broil and cook for 5 minutes until browned and bubbling.
  • Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 1092mg | Potassium: 645mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1799IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 579mg | Iron: 2mg