Baked Rigatoni

The temperature in a slow cooker is ideal for baked casseroles. Flavors merge and mingle, the sauce has time to permeate every nook in every noodle, and a crunchy crust forms at the edge, protecting the interior from too much heat. The crust can burn, just as it does in the oven, so the timing is tighter for slow-cooked casseroles than it is for moist preparations like stews and soups. You cannot leave for the day unless you have a cooker that will switch to warm automatically. Most cassero