This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Barilla. The opinions and text are all mine
Remember a few weeks ago when I said I was feeling like it was time for another adventure… well here we go! I’m off to Italy today and prepping for an all-out eating fest. I’ll be in Parma and Milan for the Barilla® Pasta World Championships to be exact so if you have any recommendations, send them my way. But before I go… I figured we should kick things off with this Caprese Rigatoni!
Caprese Rigatoni was actually inspired by my last trip to Italy for my birthday last year. While in Florence, we had the most incredible Rigatoni that was doused with fresh mozzarella and melted in front of our eyes as it was brought to our table. Perfection doesn’t even come close to describing it. It was so simple, but beyond memorable. I’m not even exaggerating when I tell you I scroll through my phone and find pictures from that lunch to look at on a regular basis. And I’m so excited because that recipe now has a home here on WGC and I’m off to Italy to hopefully discover even more inspiration.
I’m sure that won’t be an issue as I’m heading over there to hang at the Pasta World Championship with Barilla and a bunch of incredible chefs who I’m told are going to feed me pasta on basically an hourly basis. Goals right?! I can’t even wait. If you’ve been around WGC a while, you know that pasta is one of my most favorite love languages. It’s one of the most versatile ingredients as you can make so many magical creations based on it. Plus, who doesn’t love coming home or going to a dinner party when pasta is on the menu?!? Anyways, make sure to tune into my Instagram + Insta-stories this week because I’m taking you guys on a whirlwind trip through Northern Italy and you’re NOT going to want to miss it!
I’ll be there for 6th edition of the Barilla Pasta World Championships where chefs from around the world will be competing for the title of Pasta World Champion, and unofficially I think the winner should be my new best friend. I’ll be working on that all week. This competition celebrates Barilla’s heritage and the future of all things pasta. I can’t wait to be part of this amazing (and super delicious) competition!
Ingredients
- 1 box Barilla Rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 15-ounce can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls, halved
- Tons of fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until translucent.
- Add tomatoes, wine, red pepper flakes and oregano and bring to a simmer. Add Asiago cheese and stir until melted and incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let simmer for 30-45 min.
- While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain.
- Add the drained pasta to sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat for a few minutes until the pasta is fully coated with the sauce. Top with the fresh mozzarella cheese and serve pipping hot, letting the mozzarella melt before eating. Garnish with plenty of fresh basil.
3.1
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking
