Plain ol’ pasta doesn’t have to be plain at all

baking, cheese, dinner, pasta, quirky, supper | July 24, 2011 | By

Baked rigatoni tube pasta with holes in them - standing up in baking dish with cheese and sauce

I really don’t know what to call this dish. After all, it *is* simply rigatoni with sauce and cheese.

Baked rigatoni tube pasta with holes in them - standing up in baking dish with cheese and sauce

Then again, for whatever reason, turning all the noodles upright after cooking and then baking them this way made this dish way more fun….both to make and eat.

Baked rigatoni tube pasta with holes in them - standing up in baking dish with cheese and sauce

Baked rigatoni tube pasta with holes in them - standing up in baking dish with cheese and sauce

It didn’t take very long, but it did take longer than I thought it would. I figured I could do more than one noodle at a time, laying them in bulk, but not a chance. Each one had to be stacked individually.

Baked rigatoni tube pasta with holes in them - standing up in baking dish with cheese and sauce

Doesn’t it look cool when they’re ready, though? And then comes the sauce and cheese. And then more sauce, ‘cause hey, why not?

Baked rigatoni tube pasta with holes in them - standing up in baking dish with cheese and sauce

Baked rigatoni tube pasta with holes in them - standing up in baking dish with cheese and sauce

And then hey, why not some more cheese to melt on top of that?

Baked rigatoni tube pasta with holes in them - standing up in baking dish with cheese and sauce

Yum. Now the tricky part was actually serving it. You see, with all that sauce, the pasta couldn’t exactly stick together, could it?

Baked rigatoni tube pasta with holes in them - standing up in baking dish with cheese and sauce

Notice it going everywhere? (Oh, and those cheese biscuits in the lower left? Also really, really good)

Baked rigatoni tube pasta with holes in them - standing up in baking dish with cheese and sauce

Yeah…. So it might’ve been a little messy….

Baked rigatoni tube pasta with holes in them - standing up in baking dish with cheese and sauce

But it still looked cool in the pan and tasted so much better than just “plain ol’ pasta.”

Comments

  1. Leave a Reply

    Nikki
    July 24, 2011

    Hey, messy is good! Some of the best foods on the planet are messy. I love your new take on a classic dish.

    I’m visiting from VB, by the way!

  2. Leave a Reply

    Sarah the Writer
    July 25, 2011

    Ya know, it kinda looks like a casserole. So for a name, maybe just Rigatoni Casserole? Just a suggestion.

    Visiting from VB. ~Sarah the Writer

  3. Leave a Reply

    Callie
    July 25, 2011

    oh my goodness, my girls would LOVE making this dish! Brilliant idea to stand the pasta up! What fun.

  4. Leave a Reply

    Olusola
    July 25, 2011

    You could call it “stand up lasagna”. It looks like a tasty treat

  5. Leave a Reply

    Janie
    August 4, 2011

    Great way to spice up a simple pasta dish! I think my daughter and hubby will love that :)

    Janie via vB

  6. Leave a Reply

    Cookie's Mom
    October 10, 2011

    This looks so fun! I think my 4-year-old would LOVE to help me make this. Thanks!

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