Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Show: Everyday ItalianEpisode: Italian Comfort Food

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (286)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(286)

Cook Time:
30 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
6 servings

Times:

Prep: 25 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 30 min
Total:: 55 min

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Ingredients

Bechamel sauce:

1 stick unsalted butter (4 ounces)
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk, at room temperature
Pinch fresh nutmeg
Sea salt and white pepper
1 cup grated fontina
1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
1 pound dry rigatoni
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Bechamel sauce:

In a 2 quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Always stirring, gradually add the milk and continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg, 1/2 cup fontina, prosciutto and season with salt and white pepper. Set aside.

In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add the rigatoni and cook for about 5 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander. Return pasta to the pot and pour in bechamel sauce. Using a wooden spoon, mix well until all the pasta is coated with the sauce.

Into a greased 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pour the pasta with cream sauce. Smooth out top and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup fontina. Dot the top with diced butter and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce
Massiel El Paso, TX 02-02-2010
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Even Better the Next Day!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Super easy recipe, and delicious! My husband doesn't write home about most pasta dishes. Happy to report he liked this recipe... enough to point it out and have seconds. Excellent creamy consistency. If the Bechamel sauce is too thick, simply add left over pasta water (from the Rigatoni) or more milk. The cheese crust was the best part. I followed the recipe and used prosciutto. I did have to use a little bit of kosher salt to enhance the flavors. I used fresh nutmeg. I've used ground nutmeg before. It does make a difference, in flavor, when zesting fresh nutmeg. The scent was delicious. I think next time, I might add peas and/or red bell peppers. The pasta is perfect paired with a side italian/greek salad and/or soup. Read more
recipe Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce
Kevin Round Rock, TX 01-29-2010
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Family Favorite
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

From the first time I made this it has become one of our favorites.
recipe Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce
Sheryl Hillcrest, NY 01-26-2010
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Definitely a family favorite!! "DELISH"
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this dish for my family with home made shrimp scampi. It was truly a hit!!! My niece travels from Virginia to New... York to enjoy this meal along with myself and my family. This meal is a weekly suggestion in my home. Doesn't get better than that! Thanks Giada!Read more
recipe Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce
Michael Arcata, CA 12-15-2009
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A delicious, versatile baked pasta dish!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

The part of this recipe that sold me was its unassuming versatility. I've added a variety of meats, spices, and vegetables... to this dish, all with amazing results. Just make sure you don't add too many things, otherwise the bechamel sauce doesn't coat everything. :) One of my favorite "cheap" additions are those frozen, breaded chicken strips. Bake them off about halfway, slice into bite-sized pieces, and mix into the pasta before you bake it. Wonderful! Substituting bacon for the prosciutto is great if you are mindful to drain off the excess oil. And a small bag of frozen shelled peas is a very, very tasty addition as well! If you're having a problem with the recipe tasting too milky or floury, as some other reviewers have indicated, I suggest cooking the roux a little longer. You don't need to take it past the dark blonde stage, but the roux should definitely NOT smell like flour. For the record, I use 2% milk most of the time in this dish. If you loved baked pasta, I really think you'll like this. Try it!Read more
recipe Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce
Robert Glen Allen, VA 11-17-2009
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Fabulous
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This has become something of a "go-to" recipe for me. The first time I made it was my first time to make a bechamel sauce,... and the first time I ever used nutmeg and liked it. I love everything about it. My entire family likes it. I even invited a friend over - a friend who is an admittedly VERY picky eater, and he enjoyed it very much. It can be a complete meal followed step-by-step, but a salad alongside makes it a great meal! I'm so glad I saw this show a few years ago when I first started watching Food Network. This is a real find for me.Read more
recipe Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce
Diane Oak Ridge, TN 11-01-2009
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Dinner Guest Meal
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this for dinner guests and it was a hit. Very easy to make so I did not spend all my time in the kitchen and very... tasty too! I havemade this a few times now and it always delivers.Read more