Nonna Teresa Petruccelli-Formato’s Baked Rigatoni with Spring Vegetables

Name: Nonna Teresa Petruccelli-Formato’s Baked Rigatoni with Spring Vegetables (Rigatoni al Forno con Verdure)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 35 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 1 small onion, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) slices; 4 cloves garlic, sliced; 12 ounces (340 g) mini sweet peppers, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) strips; 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks; 1 medium eggplant, skin on, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks; 1 can (28 ounces, or 794 g) crushed tomatoes; 1 cup (240 ml) water; ¼ cup (10 g) chopped fresh basil; Salt, to taste; 1 pound (454 g) dried rigatoni pasta; 1 pound (454 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided; ⅔ cup (67 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

Rigatoni al Forno con Verdure

Preparation info

Yield:
6 to 8
servings

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
2 hr 30

Appears in

Cooking with Nonna

By Rossella Rago

Published 2018

About

What better way to welcome spring than with this pasta dish! This dish is perfect for holiday meals because you can fully assemble it and leave it in fridge the night before. Just let it come to room temperature before baking, and you’re good to go.

Ingredients

Sauce

3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) sli

Europe
Italy
Pasta
Vegetarian
Spring
Easter

Method

To make the sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion, garlic, and peppers. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the peppers soften. Add the zucchini to the skillet. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oli