I stumbled across this Martha Stewart adaptation recipe this weekend at the Noble Pig blog and I had to make it asap! (Click the link to see their pics and the complete recipe). I knew it would be a big hit with the kids, so I got the camera out during the process.
I had to buy a 9" spring form pan today in order to make it, but I needed an excuse to buy myself a new kitchen gadget anyhow (and now that I have this fancy pan, I can make my own cheesecakes too)!
Boil the rigatoni VERY aldente as it will soften up more in the oven. Toss the pasta in the grated cheese and place them vertically in pan (it says to butter pan first, but I didn't because I coated the noodles in olive oil after I rinsed them instead). 
Patience is needed for this part....I used the thick end of a wooden chopstick to stuff the meat sauce down in each and every noodle! Maddie helped, Maddie whined...she is not patient!
Yummy goodness! Make sure you let it stand for at 15 minutes before you take the spring form ring off the pan or it will fall apart. Again, patience is required b/c you just want to eat the thing!
Spring form ring has been removed. You could also slide the bottom of the pan out at this point too (before slicing).
Check out that crust! It looks like a deep dish pizza!
The finished product with fresh romaine lettuce salad! I know, its just pasta with meat sauce...but it's all about the presentation, the kids thought it was so cool. They even had another slice and more salad for seconds! Still have 2 wedges left over for lunch tomorrow!So easy to make! I made it my own by adding a splash of red wine and a tbsp of sugar to the meat mixture, also added 1/2 cup chopped purple onion when I cooked the garlic cloves.
I used Organic Muir Glen Crushed Tomatoes with Basil, White Oak Pastures Grass Fed Ground Beef, fresh cracked black pepper and freshly grated Boars Head Pecorino Romano Cheese! There are very few ingredients in this, so they have to be great quality!
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