Baked Rigatoni With Meatballs

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves
1 bunch of basil
1 kg pureed tomato
400 g Rigatoni
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

For the Meatballs

2 tbsps fresh parsley leaves
500 g lean minced beef
125 g grated Parmesan cheese
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 egg
3 tbsp olive oil for soufflé dish

Directions

Finely chop garlic
Chop Basil leaves
Pour the pureed tomato in a frying pan and add 2/3 of the garlic, the basil and a pinch of salt
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 10-12 minutes; there should be some liquid left in the pan
Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Wipe the frying pan clean

How to make the meatballs

Chop the parsley leaves
Put the minced beef, 1/4 of the Parmesan, the chopped parsley leaves, remaining garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Add the egg.
Mix all the ingredients in the bowl with your hands until they are thorougly combined.
Shape the mixture into meatballs
Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan.
Fry the meatballs in batches until they are brown 2-4 minutes

Bake the Rigatoni

Heat the oven to 190 C
Brush the inside of the soufflé dish with olive oil
Boil the rigatoni for 8 to 10 minutes
In a saucepan, stir the pasta and sauce together until the pasta is well coated with sauce
Spoon 1/3 of the previous mixture in the dish, spoon half the meatballs, sprinkle with 1/3 of Parmesan
Repeat those steps, add the remaining pasta sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan.
Bake for 35 minutes.

Bon Appétit!

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