A creamy mushroom pasta bake is the best answer to “what’s for dinner” when you’re craving warm, comforting, and creamy pasta. Loaded with flavor from fontina cheese, roasted mushrooms, spinach, thyme, ricotta, and just a hint of nutmeg, this baked pasta is both decadent and simple.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
For the roasted mushrooms:
1 ½ pounds Baby Bella mushrooms quartered
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh thyme
¼ cup olive oil
Remaining ingredients:
1 pound rigatoni
¾ pound ricotta
½ pound fontina cheese shredded
¾ cup heavy cream
8 ounces baby spinach steamed, drained
2 cloves garlic paste
½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano divided
1 pinch nutmeg optional
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 450f and set one rack to the second-lowest position and the other to the middle of the oven. Toss mushrooms with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spread out mushrooms on a baking sheet and roast on the lower rack for 15-20 minutes or until well browned. Don’t overcrowd the mushrooms. Use two sheets if necessary.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water (2 tablespoons kosher salt) to boil and cook the rigatoni until very al dente. About 2 minutes less than package instructions.
Cook spinach for 30 seconds in boiling water and drain. Once able to handle, squeeze the water out then chop. In a large bowl mix together the spinach, nutmeg, heavy cream, ricotta, Fontina cheese, ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, garlic, and the roasted mushrooms.
Add the pasta to the bowl and mix once more. Taste test and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Place contents of the bowl in a 9 by 13 baking dish. Top with the remaining Parmigiano and bake for 15 minutes covered. Covering with parchment paper then foil will prevent sticking.
After 15 minutes remove covering and bake for 5 minutes more until golden. For even more color broil for the last 1-2 minutes but watch very carefully.
Wait 15 minutes before serving so that the cheese settles.
Notes:
- The recipe makes 4 very large or 6 normal size servings.
- Undercook the pasta by about 2-3 minutes, since it will cook longer in the oven.
- Mozzarella, soft provolone, or swiss can all be substituted for Fontina cheese.
- Make sure to drain the spinach by squeezing the water out. This will prevent the baked pasta from becoming too liquidy.
- Placing parchment paper then foil over the pasta will ensure no sticking.
