Recipe & images: Katrina Meynink

SPICY RIGATONI PIE

This has got Sunday night pie for your pie hole vibes written all over it. It does require a little bit of faff with assembly, but the reward far outweighs the labour, and the leftovers are a gift that keeps on giving. If you had the fortitude and forward planning gene, this is best done the day before eating. There is something about a sleepover in the fridge that makes the flavours penetrate more effectively and it also make this far easier to cut and hold its shape when it comes to serving.  If following this idea, gently warm it in the oven to reheat before serving.

• BEEF MINCE - GRASS FED $10.49 – $41.98
• PANCETTA - LARDONS (100G) $5.69

Method
Place a heavy based frying pan or pot over low heat. Add the oil and once hot add the onion and bay leaves, cooking, stirring regularly until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic, pancetta and oregano leaves and cook until the pancetta is golden and crisp in parts, and it is beautifully fragrant. Don’t rush this process.

Add the mince and turn your heat to medium.  Cook undisturbed for five minutes or until the edges are taking on a lovely, caramelised char. Add the olives, chilli and the gin and cook until the gin has mostly evaporated. Add the tomato passata and simmer on low for 1 hour. Longer if you have the potter about the stove time on your side. You want the sauce to reduce somewhat, if it is too runny, it will make it very difficult to have a firm pie, it will be too saucy and a little difficult to cut.

• BEEF MINCE - GRASS FED $10.49 – $41.98
• PANCETTA - LARDONS (100G) $5.69

While cooking the meat, make the bechamel sauce. Melt the butter and add the flour. Cook a little, don’t be scared if the mixture browns a little, it only adds to the flavour. Allow to cool and stir in the milk gradually with a wooden spoon. Cook it gently for a few minutes, ensuring that raw flour taste has completely cooked out, then add cheese and ensure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Stir to combine.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until it is slightly less than al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta, spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Line a 30cm springform pan with baking paper & grease sides with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place the pan on a baking tray/sheet, ready to catch drips. Smear some meat sauce across the base of your pan, this helps to have something to stand the rigatoni in upright. Gently stand the rigatoni on their ends in the prepared pan until it is filled. Pour some more sauce over the noodles, spreading it with the back of a spoon. Then gradually and gently pour over the bechamel, spreading it again with the back of a spoon so that it falls into all the nooks and crevices. Scatter over the remaining cheese and cook in a 170°C oven for about 40 minutes or until the top is bubbling and caramelised in spots. Remove form oven.

Let the pasta cool for 10 minutes minimum, then carefully remove the sides of the pan, throw over some basil leaves and season with salt and pepper. Cut into wedges and serve with extra chilli on the side. The longer you can leave it to cool, the easier it will be to slice. If you cut while piping hot, it has the tendency to collapse.