Pasta Pie

This is so yummy and cute! I really like it because I don't like a lot of red sauce on my pasta and Philip likes A LOT.  This way I had just enough on my pasta and you serve it with the extra sauce on the side so Philip could add extra to his.

It is a little time consuming to make to get all the rigatoni standing up inside the pan but I didn't think it was too bad.  I am thankful I have a husband that likes to help in the kitchen.  It makes things go quite a bit faster.  (And because I am the messiest cook in the world and he tends to clean up behind me as I go!)

I am not sure if I didn't let my sauce thicken quite as much as I should have or if it was just my springform pan but some of the juice from the sauce leaked all over the counter when I was putting it together.  I would definitely recommend putting the springform pan on top of a cookie sheet before you assemble it and when it goes into the oven.

Pasta Pie
Slightly Adapted from Noble Pig

1 pound rigatoni
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 can (28 ounces) good quality crushed tomatoes
Butter, for pan
Salt
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces coarsely grated mozzarella

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until slightly underdone (I cooked mine for 12 minutes when the box indicated 14 minutes).  One pound of pasta should be cooked in 6 quarts of water, make sure you are using a big enough pot so the pasta doesn't stick together.  When done, rinse in cold water and drain again.  Toss pasta with 1 Tablespoon olive oil to coat.  Set aside.

Heat remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add ground beef.  Cook, stirring occasionally until browned.  Add garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.  Cook 2 minutes more.

Add crushed tomatoes; simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Toss pasta with Parmesan cheese.  Butter a 9-inch springform pan.  Tightly pack pasta into pan, standing each piece on end.  Spread meat sauce on top of pasta.

Push the meat sauce into the pasta holes filling each one up.  Stuffing the meat into the holes is a weirdly satisfying task.  Enough said.

Place in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake another 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden.  Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge to loosen and then unmold.

Cut into wedges and serve with any remaining meat sauce you might have.