Inspired by classic baked ziti, this vegetarian rendition replaces the Italian sausage and bechamel sauce with hearty, savoury mushrooms and creamy stracciatella cheese!
Produced in a facility that processes milk, sesame, eggs, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, mustard, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybean and sulphites.
170 g
Rigatoni
(Contains Wheat)
100 g
Stracciatella Cheese
(Contains Milk)
370 mL
Crushed Tomatoes
½ cup
Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
(Contains Milk)
200 g
Zucchini
56 g
Baby Spinach
50 g
Shallot
1 tbsp
Italian Seasoning
(Contains Sulphites)
7 g
Basil
2 tbsp
Oil*
2 tsp
Salt*
½ tsp
Sugar*
¼ tsp
Salt and Pepper*
Before starting, preheat the oven to 450°F.Wash and dry all produce. In a large pot, add 10 cups water and 2 tsp salt. (NOTE: Use same for 4 ppl.) Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then into 1/2-inch thick half-moons. Peel, then finely chop shallot. Roughly chop basil leaves.
Toss zucchini and 1 tbsp oil (dbl for 4ppl) on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the middle of the oven, stirring halfway through cooking, until tender, 10-12 min.
Add rigatoni to the pot of boiling water. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 9-11 min. When pasta is tender, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water (dbl for 4 ppl), then drain and set aside.
While pasta cooks, heat a large oven-proof pan over medium heat. When hot, add 1 tbsp oil (dbl for 4 ppl), then shallots. Cook, stirring often, until softened, 3-4 min. Add crushed tomatoes, half the Italian seasoning and 1/2 tsp sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, 6-8 min. Add spinach to the pan. Stir, until spinach wilts, 1 min.
When zucchini is removed from the oven, preheat oven broiler to high. Add zucchini, cooked rigatoni and reserved pasta water to pan with sauce and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. (NOTE: For 4 ppl, add sauce and rigatoni to the large pot, toss to combine, then transfer to a lightly oiled 9x13-inch baking dish.) Sprinkle over shredded mozzarella. Broil in the middle of the oven, until cheese melts, 3-5 min (NOTE: Keep an eye on the cheese so it doesn't burn!).
While pasta bakes, in a small bowl, stir together stracciatella, half the basil and remaining Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta among plates. Spoon over herby stracciatella and sprinkle with remaining basil.