Everybody likes good creamy pasta. But not everybody is ready for a full-fledged routine of pasta making. Well, you’ve come to the right place, because this recipe is just for you. Ordering food is always an option, but this Mug Rigatoni is a low-effort cuisine you can cook in less than 20 mins. All you need is rigatoni, mozzarella, basil and marinara, and voila. This recipe is for one that makes it perfect for a quick bite. Feel free to cook it in batches and serve it to your family, friends and colleagues. The best thing is that you can customise the sauces, add whatever vegetables you like, and add as much cheese as you wish to your pasta. When you're not in the mood to prepare a complicated meal, red sauce pasta is the ideal comfort food.
Most Italian cuisine uses rigatoni, a staple pasta that has been around for a reasonably long time. It is said that Rigatoni originated from Rome. Today, it may be found everywhere and in all regional cuisines, although it is most prevalent in Italy’s central and southern areas. The term rigatoni is derived from the Italian word rigato, which means ‘ridged’ or ‘lined’ (rigatone is the augmentative form and rigatoni is the plural form). It is usually prepared using semolina flour and cooked al dente to maintain its longevity. It’s typically used for cream-based meat sauces or vegetable-based sauces due to its robust structure and hearty form. It doesn’t collapse like other forms and retains sauces effectively.
When they are still al dente, you can remove them from the water and continue cooking them in the sauce-containing pan. This technique, called ‘risotto cooking’, allows the pasta to absorb the sauce well. When pasta-making machines first appeared in Italian cuisine in the 19th century to manufacture various varieties of pasta, rigatoni was the result. Tradition has it that Sicilian households used rigatoni frequently in the past to make a regional dish called taganu. In order to preserve the circular shape of the meal and prevent it from being ruined while being removed from the bowl, the pasta was cooked in a unique terracotta bowl, which was then shattered right before the pasta was served.
The fact that there are more than 600 different pasta shapes with over 1,300 different names will surprise you. Many individuals are still unaware of this truth. Penne, fusilli, and spaghetti are a few of the pasta varieties that are often used in many cuisines. Here’s the recipe for Mug Rigatoni.
Ingredients:
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella, divided
• ½ cup marinara
• 12 rigatoni pasta, cooked
• 1 teaspoon chopped basil
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place ¼ cup of mozzarella on the bottom of a 12-ounce coffee mug.
3. Top with half the marinara, and carefully place cooked rigatoni upright in the mug, making sure it is a very tight fit.
4. Top with remaining marinara and cover with remaining mozzarella.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese bubbles up and turns golden.
6. Place a saucer or small plate on top of the mug and flip over.
7. Top with basil and serve immediately.