Hearty Lamb and Tomato Rigatoni Bake

1. Sauté Vegetables

Start by heating 3 tablespoons of good olive oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1.5 cups of chopped yellow onion, 2 cups of diced carrots, and 2 cups of diced fennel. Allow the vegetables to sauté for about 10 minutes until they begin to brown, which will help develop deep, rich flavors.

2. Cook Lamb and Aromatics

Next, add 1 pound of ground lamb, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of roughly chopped fennel seeds to the pot. Cook everything together for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is no longer pink. This ensures that the lamb is properly browned and mixed with the aromatics.

3. Add Tomato Paste and Simmer Sauce

Stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes, 2 cups of dry red wine, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 0.25 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the flavors meld beautifully.

4. Preheat Oven and Cook Pasta

While the sauce is simmering, preheat your oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 1 pound of rigatoni until it is barely al dente. This should take a few minutes less than the package instructions indicate. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

5. Prepare Egg and Cream Mixture

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 extra-large eggs and 0.67 cup of heavy cream until well combined. Toss the cooked rigatoni in the egg mixture, ensuring each piece of pasta is coated. Add half of the 1 pound of fresh salted mozzarella, shredded, to the bowl and mix it in.

6. Combine Mixtures

Once the sauce has finished simmering, remove it from the heat and stir in the remaining 0.5 cup of dry red wine. Combine the lamb mixture with the rigatoni mixture in the large bowl, adding 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper to taste.

7. Transfer to Baking Dish and Top with Cheese

Transfer the combined mixture to a 10 × 14 × 2-inch baking dish. Top with 0.5 cup of freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese and the remaining mozzarella, which should be sliced.

8. Bake

Bake in the preheated oven at 350°F for 40-45 minutes until the dish is hot, bubbly, and the top is nicely crusted. Remove from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.