Rigatoni pie filled with ricotta and meat sauce

Ingredients:

Meat sauce

• 1 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 230 g of ground beef or pork, or a mixture of both
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried cayenne pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 can (790 g) of tomato puree

Paste

• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 450 g rigatoni

Ricotta filling

• 1.5 cups ricotta
• 0.5 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 1 large egg, beaten

Topping

• 230 g mozzarella, grated
• 1/2 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup parsley leaves, coarsely chopped (optional)
• Special equipment: springform pan with a diameter of 23 cm

Preparation:

1. Meat sauce: Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, a large pinch of salt, and grind the peppercorns through the mixture a few times. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat into smaller pieces, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, oregano, crushed dried cayenne pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens to a brick-red color, about 1 minute. Add the tomato puree, 3/4 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and grind the peppercorns through the mixture a few times. Bring to a moderate boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. (The sauce can be made and refrigerated up to a day ahead of serving. Reheat before using.)
2. Paste: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Cook the pasta until just above al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and toss the pasta with the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Then arrange the rigatoni in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Spread 1/4 cup of meat sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange the rigatoni vertically on top, filling the dish completely.
4. Ricotta filling: Mix the ricotta with the Parmesan, egg, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Transfer the filling to a pastry bag or a resealable plastic bag, snip the corner to make a small hole, and pipe the contents into each rigatoni tube. Pipe the remaining ricotta mixture into small mounds on top of the pasta and spread into a thin layer. (You can prepare and fill the pasta a day ahead of serving.)
5. Preheat oven to 190°C. Place the filled springform pan on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch the drips. Pour 2 cups of meat sauce over the pasta, using the back of a spoon to spread it between the tubes. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan.
6. Cover the pan with foil, slightly doming it so it doesn't touch the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover the pie in the pan and continue baking until the top is golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes more. Let the pasta cool for 45 minutes (don't skip this step, otherwise the pasta will fall apart when serving). Sprinkle with parsley, if using, then carefully loosen the sides of the springform pan. Cut the pie into wedges and serve with the remaining meat sauce.