Traditionally made in Rome, rigatoni is popular all over Italy, from the capital city to the Mediterranean climes of Sicily. Rigatoni itself comes from the Italian word rigato, pronounced ree-ga-to, meaning ridged. The distinctive grooves which run along the length of this pasta shape mean that it beautifully captures thicker meat or vegetable-based sauces. Both our creamy Sicilian sausage and fennel rigatoni or vegetarian rigatoni alla norma are the perfect solution to a quick but delicious at-home dinner.
*Please note that making this artisanal shape requires a pasta extruder. If you’re new to using one, or instead want to try making garganelli as a handmade alternative, follow along with Lia as she takes you through the process, step by step.
Make our Delicious Fresh Rigatoni
Serves: 4 people
Prep time: 1 hour
Calories per serving: 450 kcal
Ingredients
- 200g semolina flour
- 200g 00 flour
- 4 eggs
- 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- Fork
- Sharp knife
- Pasta extruder with a rigatoni attachment
Method
Part 1: Making the dough
- On a clean work surface or wooden board, pile the flour mix onto the mound.
- Make a well into the centre of the mound and crack the eggs into the well.
- Beat the egg mixture with the fork, slowly folding in the flour from the sides until the egg has all been absorbed by the flour. As the mixture thickens, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and start using your hands or a scraper to incorporate the flour.
- Knead the dough for around 5 minutes, until it becomes smooth and malleable.
Part 2: Let the dough rest
- Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes on your countertop. This allows the gluten to relax and leads to a soft and pliable dough.
Part 3: Crafting your rigatoni
- Set up the extruder attachment with your rigatoni extruder. With your sharp knife, cut off sections of the dough and roll into walnut-sized balls. Feed the dough balls into the top of the extruder, a few at a time until they are all gone. As the pasta dough is forced out of the die of the extruder, cut them into 2-3 centimetre pieces. Lay these out on a lightly floured wooden board.
Part 4: Cooking your rigatoni
- When you’ve finished extruding all of your rigatoni, bring a large pan of water to a boil with a generous sprinkle of salt. Cook your pasta in the water for 2-3 minutes until al-dente.
- Strain your pasta, reserving a little bit of the pasta water. Serve with a sauce of your choice.
Buon appetito, a presto!
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