Baked Ricotta and Spinach Rigatoni

Rich baked pasta dish

Serves 60, prep time 30 mins, total time 90 mins

Ingredients

3 lb. rigatoni

Olive oil

3 sticks unsalted butter

6 large shallots, minced

1.5 cups flour

3 cups white wine

12 cups milk

1 tbsp. ground nutmeg

Salt and pepper

2 lbs. baby spinach, chopped

8 cups ricotta cheese

12 eggs, lightly beaten

3 lbs. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and toss with a little olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together.

3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add the shallot and garlic and sweat a few minutes until softened. Add the flour and make a roux. Gradually whisk in the wine and milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking all the while. Cook until thickened about 10 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

4. Transfer the béchamel sauce to a large bowl and combine with the spinach ricotta and eggs. Mix in the pasta and transfer to a hotel pan. Top with the shredded mozzarella, cover loosely with foil and bake 40 minutes.Remove the foil and bake 20 minutes longer, until the cheese has lightly browned on top, the center is no longer runny, and the sides are bubbly.