3 Types of Rigatoni to Make for May 24th
Photo Credit: Food & Wine
Following a few ominous videos on Tik Tok, for reasons still slightly unclear, May 24th, 2021 has been declared the ultimate day to consume rigatoni. If you’d like to also partake in this somewhat peculiar global event but maybe your parents never cook rigatoni or you’re not sure what to make yourself, we’ve got you covered with a few different takes on the classic pasta!
Gigi Hadid’s Vodka Sauce
The 24th is a great opportunity to try Gigi Hadid’s infamous vodka sauce recipe if you haven’t already. Her recipe makes two but feel free to double or triple if dining with friends or family!
Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
1 small clove of garlic, diced
¼ green onion
¼ cup tomato paste
½ cup heavy cream (I found coconut cream also works but Good Eggs also makes a vegan substitute)
1 tablespoon vodka (you can also use water)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Roughly 1 cup of rigatoni pasta
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup parmesan cheese (Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Shredded Parmesan is a great no-dairy alternative)
Chopped basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat the olive oil, garlic and onion in a large saucepan and cook until soft.
Add tomato paste and cook until it appears darker in color and a bit caramelized
Add in the heavy cream then the vodka and cook through until evaporated.
Add in the red pepper flakes, more if you like it spicy!
Keep stirring until combined and season with salt and pepper. Remove sauce from the heat.
Cook the pasta separately. When the pasta is done, save ¼ of the pasta water before draining.
Add in the butter to the sauce. Stir over a medium heat until the butter has melted
Add the pasta and the pasta water to the sauce
Stir in the parmesan cheese and add more salt and pepper to taste.
Top with basil and some more parmesan cheese to serve
Baked Pasta
Vodka sauce not your thing? Opt for a baked pasta instead.
*Recipe adapted from Dinner at the Zoo
Ingredients
Sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound ground beef (I personally prefer 90% lean if that helps)
1 pound mild Italian sausage (casings removed - gross I know)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
24 ounce jar marinara sauce
8 ounce can tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Pasta/Toppings
16 ounces rigatoni pasta cooked according to package directions
2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded (Daiya Cutting Board Collection Shreds is a great dairy-free, vegan, alternative for all my fellow lactose intolerants)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and coat a 9"x13" pan with cooking spray.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat
Add the ground beef and sausage to the pan and season with salt and pepper
Cook the meat for 3-4 minutes, breaking it up into small pieces with a spoon, as it cooks
Add the onion to the pan and cook for an additional 5 minutes (or until meat is browned and cooked through and onion is softened)
*Here is a great time to start cooking the rigatoni to save time!
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds
Add the marinara sauce and tomato sauce to the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer
Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes or until just thickened
Toss the cooked rigatoni with the sauce and pour the mixture into the prepared pan
Top with mozzarella cheese and bake covered for 20 minutes then uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes (or until pasta is bubbly and cheese is melted and browned)
Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve!
Rigatoni and Cauliflower al Forno
A bolder take on the classic pasta, this is sure to wow guests although it is surprisingly easy!
*Recipe adapted from the NYtimes
Ingredients:
1 pound rigatoni (roughly 4 cups)
1 medium cauliflower
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
3 tablespoons roughly chopped sage, plus a few sage leaves left whole
½ teaspoon lemon zest
6 ounces coarsely grated fontina or mozzarella
2 ounces finely grated Romano cheese or other hard pecorino (sadly there’s few vegan options that are a suitable substitute)
½ cup coarse dry bread crumbs
I personally loathe parsley but you can add some chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish (about 2tbs) if desired
Instructions
Cook the rigatoni in well-salted water according to package directions, but drain while still quite al dente
Rinse pasta with cool water, then drain again and set aside
Heat oven to 400 degrees
Cut cauliflower in half from top to bottom and cut out tough core and stem any extraneous leaves. Lay cauliflower flat side down and cut crosswise into rough 1/4-inch slices and break into smaller pieces
Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over high heat and add cauliflower slices, along with any crumbly pieces, in one layer (may be better to work in batches)
Let cauliflower brown and caramelize for about 2 minutes, then turn pieces over to brown the other side. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork. Some pieces might not brown evenly which is fine!
Season generously with salt and pepper. Add capers, garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped sage, sage leaves and lemon zest and stir to coat
Put cooked cauliflower mixture in a large mixing bowl and add cooked rigatoni and fontina and toss
Transfer mixture to a lightly oiled baking dish and top with Romano cheese, then with bread crumbs and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil
Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until top is crisp and golden
