Baked Rigatoni Lasagna

One of the reasons I love lasagna is the layer of ricotta cheese in the middle. But, I don't love the amount of time I spend on lasagna. So, here is my easy almost lasagna recipe.

Cook 2-3 cups of dry rigatoni, drain and return to pan. Add your favorite sauce, mushrooms, 2 cloves chopped garlic, a chopped onion, ground beef or choice of sausage, cooked spinach, shredded mozerella cheese. Of course all but the sauce are optional to taste.

With a mixer, whip together 1 1/2 cups of ricotta cheese, 2 eggs, dash of salt and pepper, and a tbsp of Italian seasonings. If the ricotta mixture is really dry, add a splash of milk. Mixture should be thick but pour easily.

Fill an 9x13 baking dish with 1/2 of pasta mixture. Pour the whipped ricotta cheese mixture over the top of the pasta mix. Add the rest of the pasta mix on top of ricotta. Cover with shredded mozerella cheese.

Put foil over the pan and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes longer or until the cheese is bubbling.

Leftover factor:  Absolutely wonderful!