Yield: 6 servings
| Measure | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| PASTA== | |
| 1 pounds | Rigatoni |
| 6 quarts | Water |
| 6 teaspoons | Salt |
| 2 tablespoons | Unsalted butter |
| 3 tablespoons | Grated Parmesan cheese |
| CRUST & FILLING== | |
| 4 tablespoons | Unsalted butter |
| ½ cup | Bread crumbs (approx) |
| 1 | Egg |
| 1 pounds | Whole-milk mozzarella |
| ¼ pounds | Thinly sliced mortadella |
| 3 tablespoons | Grated Parmesan cheese, or more if desired |
| 1 teaspoon | Grated nutmeg |
Boil the rigatoni in salted water, and when very well cooked, drain thoroughly and put in a big bowl with the butter and the Parmesan cheese. Toss gently, over and over, until the butter and cheese coat the pasta. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an over-proof casserole, and add about ¼ c of the bread crumbs. Tilt the dish back and forth and around to get the crumbs to cling to the butter.
Pour out and save the excess crumbs. Beat the egg and pour it in the buttered bowl, and tilt the bowl back and forth to get as much egg as possible to cling to the sides. Then put in more crumbs, tilt again, and you'll have made the basis for a double crust on the sides and bottom of the casserole. Grate the mozzarella coarsely, or slice it thinly and then dice it. Cut the mortadella into thin strips. Make a layer of rigatoni in the bottom of the casserole, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, strips of mortadella, some of the Parmesan cheese and a dash of nutmeg. Dot with butter. Repeat this layering process until everything is almost used up, reserving enough Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs to sprinkle the top layer. Dot with butter, and bake until the casserole is thoroughly hot and the crust a golden brown. Cool at least 15 minutes and turn out onto a platter. Cut like a cake and serve. Baked rigatoni is good at room temperature, also. From The Romagnolis' Table by Margaret & G. Franco Romagnoli.
Submitted By TERRI WOLTMON On 10-01-94