Pasta pie with pastry rigatoni pasticciati
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 40 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
672 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Pasta pie with pastry rigatoni pasticciati
Description
This recipe assembles a savory pie featuring rigatoni pasta mixed with a ragu ragù and mushroom sauté wrapped in shortcrust pastry. The ragù is slow-simmered with ground beef (or a beef-pork mix), finely chopped carrot, onion, celery, tomato paste, and passata, seasoned with salt, pepper, and bay leaves to develop deep, rich flavors. The mushrooms combine fresh pieces and rehydrated dried porcini, cooked with garlic and parsley, adding earthiness and a fragrant herb note. White wine and butter are used for cooking mushrooms and enhancing flavor.
The rigatoni provides structure inside the pie, cooking to tender tubes that hold the filling. The shortcrust pastry encases the mixture, creating a golden, buttery crust. The combination results in a comforting, substantial dish that highlights layered textures and savory intensity from the meat sauce and mushroom elements.
Pasta pie can be sliced and served as a main course. It suits family dinners where a make-ahead or one-pan meal with rich components is desirable. The recipe yields enough for six regular or four large servings.
Any extra ragù can be frozen for future use, adding flexibility. Using a food processor can speed preparation of the foundational soffritto vegetables. Care is taken to keep moisture balanced so the filling remains moist but not soggy inside the crust.
Ingredients
- 320 g rigatoni pasta or other pasta tubes, 11 oz
- 2 shortcrust pastry dough store-bought (pie dough, sheets
- 40 g butter for greasing dish and inside pie, 1.5 oz
- 1 egg yolk
- 50 g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese grated, or grana padano, 2 oz
For the ragu
- 400 g ground beef or mixed beef and pork, 14 oz
- 1-2 carrot finely chopped
- 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
- 1-2 celery finely chopped, stalks
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste concentrate
- 500 g tomato passata or crushed/chopped tomatoes, 1.1lbs
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 bay leaf
- salt for pasta and to taste
- black pepper to taste, freshly ground
For mushrooms
- 200 g mushrooms cleaned and cut into pieces, fresh, 7 oz
- 40 g dried porcini mushrooms soaked in warm water, ceps, 1.5 oz
- 40 g butter 1.5oz
- 1 handful parsley chopped, fresh
- 1-2 garlic peeled and chopped, clove
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ glass white wine 2 fl oz
Instructions
Make the ragu
- Peel the onion and wash the carrots and celery. Then chop them finely. I use a food processor
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet or Dutch oven and add vegetables and cook until soft. Add the ground meat and brown it well.
- Add the tomato paste and tomato pulp and a bit of water if it is too thick. Add a pinch of salt, some black pepper and 1-2 bay leaves, stir well. Then cover and let simmer for at least an hour.
Cook the mushrooms
- If using dried porcini, soak them in warm water for 20-30 minutes first. Then drain them but keep a bit of the water to add to the sauce for a stronger porcini flavour! Clean the other mushrooms and cut into similar sized pieces for even cooking. Peel the garlic and chop finely. Wash the parsley and chop.
- Heat 1tbsp of olive oil and 20g butter in a frying pan or skillet. Add the garlic and cook until it starts to soften. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until they start to brown slightly. Add more butter if they start to dry out. When the mushrooms are almost cooked add the wine. Let the alcohol evaporate and then add the parsley. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Cook the pasta
- Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Cook the pasta al dente as recommended on the packet. Drain the pasta. Add it to the ragu and mix the two together well.
Assemble your pasta pie
- Grease the bottom and sides of your oven/pie dish with softened butter. Place one sheet of pastry dough over the dish and gently press it down to line the dish completely. You will need the pastry to overlap the edges a bit.
- Next, make a layer of pasta and ragu inside the pie, then a layer of mushrooms and then add some pieces of butter and a sprinkling of Parmigiano or grana cheese. Repeat with another layer of pasta and ragu, then mushrooms and then butter and cheese. I made 2 layers, but if your dish is deeper and you have enough ingredients, you can add another layer of pasta and mushrooms.
- Finally, cut off any excess pastry dough that overlaps the edge of your dish leaving just enough to fold it over the top after adding the pastry lid. Place your second pastry sheet on the top of the pie like a lid (you may need to cut it too) and then fold the edges of the two sheets together over the outer edge of the pie top and press them together to seal it.
Bake and serve
- Before baking, pierce the top of the pasta pie with a knife or fork a few times to allow steam to escape while it bakes. Then brush the top with egg yolk. Bake for about 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 180°c (356°F) until the top is golden. Allow the pie to sit for 5 minutes before cutting into slices. Then serve and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe makes six medium or four large servings.
- Extra ragù can be frozen for later use to save time on future meals.
- Using a food processor can expedite chopping of vegetables for the ragù.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 672 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 672kcal | 34% |
| Carbohydrates | 58g | 19% |
| Protein | 26g | 52% |
| Fat | 38g | 58% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 17g | 85% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 114mg | 38% |
| Sodium | 349mg | 15% |
| Potassium | 1016mg | 22% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 2707IU | 54% |
| Vitamin C | 14mg | 16% |
| Calcium | 159mg | 16% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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