Description

Rigatoni is a form of tube-shaped pasta. The word rigatoni comes from the Italian word rigati, which means "ridged. It is larger than penne and ziti. Rigatoni is usually ridged and the tube's end does not terminate at an angle, like penne. Rigatoni can be coupled with many different sauces, from creamy to chunky. Consequently, rigatoni is a popular choice for restaurants which choose to stock only one tube-shaped pasta noodle[citation needed]. The tube may be stuffed with cheese or other soft foods.

Boiled rigatoni- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Place rigatoni in boiling water for 5-6 minutes, or until they float. Try not to wash them, washed pasta does not absorb the flavor of the sauce and can take away some of the nutritional value of the pasta.

Remember to place your favorite marinara sauce in a small pot and heat until it's hot. Take rigatoni out of boiling water with large slotted spoon and place on plates. Serve with your choice of sauce or stuffings.

How to select

While you can buy commercially made fresh stuffed rigatonis in the gourmet sections of many supermarkets (a few brand also sell cooked rigatoni in cans), there are two advantages to making your own. First, you can choose what to put into your stuffing . Second, pastas stuffed with some of the more exotic fillings are practically impossible to find.

Culinary uses

" The traditional Italian fillings include ricotta mixed with grated cheese and vegetables such as spinach, swiss chard, or nettles or they may be a puree made of potatoes, mushrooms, pumpkin, chestnut or artichokes.
" Rigatoni are often served with a red tomato-based sauce. More delicate fillings are often paired with sage and melted butter, or more rarely with pesto- or broth-based sauces.
" Stuffings for rigatoni tubes can be either meat, vegetable, or fish-based, and can include a creamy cheese such as ricotta
" Serve the rigatoni as a first course with a few leaves of fresh sage, melted butter, and grated cheese, or, if you want something more substantial, e.g. meat sauce or walnut sauce.
" Rigatoni alla Pajata is a classic dish of Roman pasta from the region of Lazio.

How to store

Store rigatoni in an airtight container.

Health benefits

" Rigatoni is an excellent source of carbohydrate and if the fillings re chosen carefully can serve as a complete balanced meal in itself.
" Since the rigatoni are boiled and not fried, they tend to be lower in calories and fats.
" A healthier option would be to prepare rigatoni from durum wheat( instead of refined flour) , fill them up with greens and beans and serve them with tomato based sauces( avoid cream based sauces or broths).