Rigatoni Pasta Pie

By á-17891

Cheese and pasta, what is not to love? Turn this recipe for Rigatoni Pasta Pie into a low-fat meal by using low-fat substitutions for the varying cheeses.

Ingredients

• 1 pound rigatoni pasta
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 small jar spaghetti sauce
• Cooking spray
• Salt
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 cup onion

Details

Adapted from facebook.com

Preparation

Step 1

Boil the noodles according to the directions on the box. Stop cooking when they're still very firm and avoid stirring so they do not fall apart. Once done, drain and run cold water over so they are cool enough to handle. You can add a little bit of oil if they start to stick.

Brown the ground beef and drain excess grease. Add chopped onion and garlic. After about 5 minutes add cream cheese and stir until melted. Add spaghetti sauce next.

Use a small mixing bowl to mix the ricotta, Parmesan, basil, oregano and 2 eggs until smooth. Set aside.

Tightly pack pasta into pan, standing each piece on end. Use cooking spray on the bottom of the spring form pan first to avoid sticking. Put a zip lock bag inside a tall glass and fill the bag with the cheese mixture. Close the bag and snip the corner of the bag and pipe a small amount into each noodle. After piping, pour the red sauce over the whole top and push down as much as possible.

Top with 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. (Recipe calls for 2 cups but you could use low fat or skim to cut calories.)

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes and then broil until the cheese turns bubbly.