Baked Italian Sunset Pasta (Print-Friendly Version)

Rigatoni, mozzarella, meat sauce, and pesto layer together for a bubbly baked Italian-inspired pasta dish.

# What You’ll Need to Make This:

→ Pasta

01 - 450 g mezzi rigatoni

→ Meat Sauce

02 - 950–1200 ml meat sauce

→ Cheese

03 - 460 g fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
04 - 100 g parmesan cheese, grated, divided

→ Pesto

05 - 185 g basil pesto

→ Additional

06 - 15–30 g unsalted butter
07 - 15–30 g fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat the oven to 175°C.
02 - Cook mezzi rigatoni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain thoroughly.
03 - Warm the meat sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the drained pasta, ensuring all pieces are evenly coated.
04 - Generously butter a 23 x 33 cm baking dish.
05 - Add half of the pasta mixture to the prepared dish and sprinkle evenly with half of the grated parmesan.
06 - Arrange thinly sliced mozzarella over the pasta in a single layer. Dollop pesto over the cheese and gently spread with the back of a spoon.
07 - Spoon the remaining pasta mixture over the cheese and pesto. Sprinkle with the rest of the parmesan.
08 - Transfer the dish to the centre rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.
09 - Allow to cool slightly. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired and serve.

# Extra Tips:

01 - For a richer flavour, let the baked pasta rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Use high-quality mozzarella for optimal melt and texture.

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