Layered Pasta Ricotta Pie Recipes

RICOTTA-STUFFED RIGATONI PIE WITH MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• For the meat sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat into smaller pieces, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, oregano, red pepper flakes and garlic and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens to a brick red, about 1 minute. Add the tomato puree, 3/4 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a high simmer, then adjust to a low simmer. Cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes. (You can make and cool the sauce the day before. Reheat before using the next day.)
• For the pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Cook the pasta until slightly less than al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and toss with the remaining tablespoon oil, then spread out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Spread 1/4 cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan. Stand the rigatoni on their ends in the pan until it is completely filled.
• For the ricotta filling: Stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Transfer the filling to a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag, snip off just enough of the tip to make a small opening and pipe into each rigatoni tube. Pipe small mounds of any leftover ricotta mixture on top of the pasta and spread out into a thin layer. (You can cook and fill the pasta the day before.)
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the filled springform pan on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch drips. Pour 2 cups of the meat sauce over the pasta, spreading it with the back of a spoon so that it drips in between the noodles. Top with the mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Cover the pan with foil, doming it slightly to avoid touching the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover the pan and continue cooking until the top is golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes more. Let the pasta cool for 45 minutes (do not skip this part or your noodles will fall apart when serving!). Sprinkle with parsley, if using, then carefully remove the sides of the pan. Cut the pie into wedges and serve with the reserved meat sauce on the side.

LAYERED PASTA PIE

Steps:

• 1. While pasta is cooking, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes.
• 2. Drain pasta and place in a small mixing bowl. Add onion and garlic mixture and mix well. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
• 3. Thaw spinach and drain well. (place in a strainer and press liquid out using a spoon)
• 4. When pasta mixture is warm, not hot, add 1 slightly beaten egg, and 1/2 cup grated romano. Mix well.
• 5. Press pasta mixture into a 9", well greased, spring form pan.
• 6. Separate the yolks of 2 eggs from the whites. Reserve the egg whites. Combine the 2 egg yolks, ricotta cheese, spinach, salt and pepper and rest of the romano cheese.
• 7. Spread the ricotta mixture over the pasta layer.
• 8. In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg whites just until stiff, not dry.
• 9. Fold egg whites into 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce. Spoon over spinach layer.
• 10. Bake at 350 degrees, for 50-60 minutes or until set. Let stand 10 minutes.
• 11. Heat remaining pasta sauce and serve with the pie.

LAYERED PASTA RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• Break vermicelli into thirds and cook,& drain.
• Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Mix with vermicelli, 1/2 Cup Romano and 1 egg.
• Press into bottom of well greased 9" springform pan.
• Mix 2 egg yolks, ricotta, spinach, and 1/2 cup romano.
• Spread over pasta layer.
• Beat 2 egg whites till stiff. Fold in 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce.Pour on top.
• Bake at 350º 50-60 minute till set.
• Let stand at least 10 minutes before cutting.
• Garnish with heated leftover sauce and parsley sprigs.

LAYERED RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package except omit salt; keep warm.
• Spray 3-quart saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add onions to saucepan; cook and stir 1 minute. Add butter and flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Gradually stir in milk with wire whisk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in ricotta cheese and spinach.
• In separate 3-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add tomatoes to oil, crushing tomatoes with spoon. Stir in basil, salt and pepper; cook uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to simmer and basil wilts. Remove from heat; discard basil.
• Over bottom of baking dish, spread half of the tomato sauce (1 1/4 cups). Arrange half of the pasta, 7 rows lengthwise by 9 or 10 rows widthwise, over tomato sauce. Spread half of the ricotta mixture (2 cups) over pasta. Repeat layers, ending with ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
• Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

LEMON RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• For pie pastry into a 9-inch glass pie plate, flute edges and chill while making the filling.
• To make the filling; in a large bowl place the ricotta, whipping cream, eggs, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar (or more if desired) Marsala, lemon zest, cinnamon, vanilla and almond extract and flour; mix well to combine.
• Sprinkle the crushed amaretti biscuits over the unbaked pie shell.
• Spoon the ricotta filling over the crushed biscuits and spread out evenly.
• Place the unbaked pie in the fridge for 20-25 minutes.
• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Place the pie plate on a baking sheet.
• Bake for about 1-1/4 hours or until firm to the touch (might take a little less or more time).
• Turn the oven heat off and leave the door a little open.
• Leave the pie in the oven with heat off until oven is cool.
• Cool completely before slicing.

RICOTTA PIE (OLD ITALIAN RECIPE)

Steps:

• Beat the 12 eggs, 2 cups sugar and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Stir in the ricotta cheese and the chocolate chips, if using (see Cook's Note). Set aside.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, and 1 cup sugar together. Cut in 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in 4 beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Divide dough into 4 balls, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease two deep-dish pie plates.
• Roll out 2 of the balls to fit into the pie pans. Do not make the crust too thick, as it will expand during cooking. Do not flute the edges of the dough. Roll out the other 2 balls of dough and cut each into 8 narrow strips for the top of the crust. (Alternately, you can use cookie cutters and place the cutouts on the top of the pies.)
• Pour the ricotta filling evenly into the pie crusts. Top each pie with 8 narrow strips of dough or cookie cut-outs. Brush top of pie with milk for shine, if desired. Place foil on the edge of crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes; remove foil. Rotate pies on the rack so they will bake evenly. Continue to bake until a knife inserted in the center of each pie comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes more. Cool completely on wire racks. Refrigerate until serving.