This is such a crowd pleaser! This recipe is inspired by Roane, who learned this incredible dish while living in Italy. We added a couple of variations...
Thank you Roane!!
This filled two 9x13 tinfoil dishes. Or you can fill a deep 3" lasagna pan.
Ingredients:
2-16 oz. pkgs. Rao's homemade rigatoni pasta
1/2 white onion (approx. 1 cup chopped)
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 lb. ground beef
2-24 oz. bottles Rao's marinara sauce
4 oz. pkg. sliced salame milanese (we found salame milano at Smith's)
15 oz. container of whole milk ricotta cheese
5 oz. Frigo shredded parmesan cheese
16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz. bag Shaved Asiago, Romano, Parmesan (We used BelGioioso Salad Blend Shaved Bag)3 T. all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
Fresh oregano
Fresh basil
Directions:
While the water is starting to boil for the pasta:
Chop the onion, basil, and oregano.
Cut the salami slices into smaller pieces.
Pasta:
Cook pasta to about al dente (about 10 minutes). Set aside.
Clover's note: I salt the water generously like the ocean. After you drain the pasta, rinse the noodles in cold water (this stops the cooking and gets off the excess starch). Then drizzle olive oil over the cooked pasta and give it a stir (this helps keep the noodles separate as they cool).
Meat sauce:
Cook the ground beef, drain grease. Set aside.
In a saucepan, saute the onion in olive oil. Add the minced garlic and saute. Add the cooked beef. Add the jars of marinara sauce. Cover and simmer on low for an hour.
Bechamel Sauce:
In a medium saucepan, heat 3 T. butter over medium-low heat until melted and the foaming subsides. (Do not let it brown.) Whisk in the 3 T. flour until well combined. Cook, whisking constantly, until the raw flour smell disappears, about 2 minutes.