Rigatoni Pie

April 30, 2016 8 Comments
Rigatoni Pie
Rigatoni Pie

Pasta with vodka sauce is one of my favorite dishes in the world. That goes double when there is seafood or chicken tossed in with it! It will always have a special place in my heart as the first dish I ever cooked entirely on my own when I moved into my first apartment. This time I put a big old spin on it by turning it into a showstopper rigatoni pie! It was simple to make and so incredible. The chicken and vodka sauce were first on my list to do.

I wanted the rigatoni pie to have a protein element, and chicken goes with vodka sauce so well. I diced it up small, then cooked it in both olive oil and butter for loads of flavor. When I removed it from the pan it also left a fantastic layer of flavor for the vodka sauce!
I wanted the rigatoni pie to have a protein element, and chicken goes with vodka sauce so well. I diced it up small, then cooked it in both olive oil and butter for loads of flavor. When I removed it from the pan it also left a fantastic layer of flavor for the vodka sauce!
The vodka sauce was a simple mixture of onion, diced tomatoes, vodka (obviously!), heavy cream and crushed red pepper. It needed to cook for an hour total. In the meantime I could gather everything else!
The vodka sauce was a simple mixture of onion, diced tomatoes, vodka (obviously!), heavy cream and crushed red pepper. It needed to cook for an hour total. In the meantime I could gather everything else!
It would not have been rigatoni pie without rigatoni! I only cooked it for 4 minutes since it was going to cook the rest of the way in the oven. I stirred it with lots of parmesan cheese, eggs, mascarpone cheese and garlic powder. Then I tossed all of that with the finished sauce and poured it into my greased springform pan. That was going to make it easy to release! Mozzarella made the top so gooey and cheesy.
It would not have been rigatoni pie without rigatoni! I only cooked it for 4 minutes since it was going to cook the rest of the way in the oven. I stirred it with the cooked chicken, lots of parmesan cheese, eggs, mascarpone cheese and garlic powder. Then I tossed all of that with the finished sauce and poured it into my greased springform pan. That was going to make it easy to release! Mozzarella made the top so gooey and cheesy.
The rigatoni pie needed to bake for 30 minutes to get bubbly and set. Oh my goodness, when it came out it was a thing of beauty! I waited 5 minutes or so to release it from the pan. Then I waited another 15 minutes to cut it so that it could really set. It was also really important to use a super sharp knife that could cut through it easily without squishing it.
The rigatoni pie needed to bake for 30 minutes to get bubbly and set. Oh my goodness, when it came out it was a thing of beauty! I waited 5 minutes or so to release it from the pan. Then I waited another 15 minutes to cut it so that it could really set. It was also really important to use a super sharp knife that could cut through it easily without squishing it.

The secret to the rigatoni pie was definitely the mascarpone cheese. It gave it extra tang and also kept it from drying out in the oven. It’s a pet peeve of mine when baked pasta is bone dry! I loved that this was such a fun twist on one of my all time favorites. My husband went nuts for it and went back for seconds. Pssst…the leftovers are even better the next day. Hope you all enjoy! xoxo

Rigatoni Pie
Rigatoni Pie
Rigatoni Pie
Rigatoni Pie

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5 from 3 votes
Rigatoni Pie
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Rigatoni Pie
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
 

This rigatoni pie is a showstopper! The pasta, homemade vodka sauce, chicken and lots of cheese are baked to perfection in a cake pan.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Rigatoni, Rigatoni Pie
Servings: 8
Calories: 677 kcal
Author: Jeanie and Lulu's Kitchen
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders diced small
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 whole onion diced small
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes 28 ounce size
  • 1 pint heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup vodka
  • 2 pinches crushed red pepper
  • 1 pound rigatoni
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 3 whole eggs
  • 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
  1. First, cook the chicken. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet with deep sides over medium high heat. Add the chicken and let it completely cook through for about 5 minutes while you stir it. Season it with the salt and pepper while it cooks. Remove it to a plate with a slotted spatula and set it aside. Add the onion to the same pan and let it get fragrant for a minute. Pour in the diced the tomatoes and stir it all together. Let the mixture gently boil and reduce for about 30 minutes. Then pour in the vodka, heavy cream and crushed red pepper. Let the sauce cook for another 30 minutes, stirring it occasionally.
  2. While the sauce finishes cooking, you can get everything else ready. Pre-heat the oven to 350 and spray a 9 1/2 inch springform pan liberally with cooking spray. Get a large pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Salt it generously, then cook the rigatoni in it for just 4 minutes. It will finish cooking in the oven. Drain it and transfer it to a large mixing bowl with the parmesan, eggs, mascarpone and garlic powder. Stir it all together well. When the sauce is done, pour it into the bowl and toss everything together.
  3. Pour the whole mixture into the prepared springform pan and press it down to be a firm, even pie. Top it with the mozzarella cheese, then bake it for about 30 minutes. The cheese should be bubbly and the pie should be firm but not dried out. Let it cool for 5 minutes before releasing it from the springform pan, then let it cool for another 10 minutes so that it can set. Slice it with a very sharp knife so that it can cut through the pie easily without squishing it. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Rigatoni Pie
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 677 Calories from Fat 346
% Daily Value*
Fat 38.4g59%
Saturated Fat 20.8g130%
Cholesterol 206mg69%
Sodium 345mg15%
Potassium 101mg3%
Carbohydrates 48.1g16%
Fiber 3.1g13%
Sugar 4.4g5%
Protein 31.1g62%
Calcium 170mg17%
Iron 3.2mg18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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8 thoughts on “Rigatoni Pie”

  3. 5 stars
    Now, this is comfort food taken to the next level! Pasta is one of my favorite dishes, can’t wait to try this.

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5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)