Four Cheese Baked Pasta

Four Cheese Baked Pasta Recipe from Foodnetwork

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1 pound mezzi rigatoni
• 4 ounces rosemary focaccia, toasted and cut into cubes (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
• 1 pound part-skim mozzarella cheese, cubed
• 1 1/2 cups grated asiago cheese (about 6 ounces)
• 8 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 head garlic
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced, plus 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions

Preheat and Roast Garlic:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Halve the garlic crosswise to expose the cloves. Wrap the bottom half in foil and roast until very soft, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the skins from the top half and chop the garlic.

Prepare the Sauce:
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sliced fennel, cooking and stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for another 2 minutes until the garlic softens. Stir in the tomato paste and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook for 3 more minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the crushed tomatoes and 4 cups water. Stir and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 30 minutes.

Cook the Pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the mezzi rigatoni and cook according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.

Prepare the Breadcrumbs:
Pulse the toasted rosemary focaccia in a food processor to make coarse crumbs. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skin and add to the food processor along with 1/4 cup each of parmesan and parsley. Pulse a few times until combined. Set aside.

Assemble the Dish:
Lightly brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Combine the cooked pasta, sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, fennel fronds, mozzarella, asiago, and the remaining 1/4 cup each of parmesan and parsley. Toss until well mixed. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with spoonfuls of ricotta and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.

Bake:
Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until golden and bubbling, about 15 more minutes.

Rest and Serve:
Let the baked pasta rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!