1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If you have not already done so, prepare the recipes for the Bolognese Meat Sauce and the Besciamella Sauce. Then set them aside to cool for a few minutes.

2.  Prepare the water for the rigatoni according to the manufacturer's instructions.

3.  While waiting for the water to boil, line an oven-safe baking dish with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray. To the bottom of the dish, add a generous spoonful of the bolognese sauce and a generous spoonful of the besciamella sauce and slather them around the bottom of the dish.

 

 

 

4.  Once the water is boiling, add the pasta to the water and cook it for half the cooking time indicated in the manufacturer's instructions.

5.  When the rigatoni is half cooked, remove the pot from the heat and drain off the water.

6.  Place the rigatoni into the pan with the cooled bolognese sauce and fold the ingredients together thoroughly until all of the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce.

7.  Add a layer of the rigatoni and bolognese mixture to the baking dish so that it evenly covers the entirety of the dish.

8.  Spoon some of the besciamella over this first layer of rigatoni and top with a light sprinkling of the grated Parmigiano cheese.

9.  Repeat steps 7 and 8 until all of the rigatoni is in the baking dish.

10.  Top the last layer of the rigatoni with the remaining besciamella sauce and grated Parmigiano cheese.

11.  Cover the dish with aluminum foil, place it on the center rack in the oven and bake for 35 minutes.

12.  After 35 minutes, uncover the dish and bake another 5 - 10 minutes or until the besciamella and Parmigiano begin to brown on the top of the dish.

13.  At that point, remove the dish from the oven and let the rigatoni cool at least 15 - 20 minutes prior to serving.

Notes

The bolognese sauce and the besciamella can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.

This pasta can be served hot or at room temperature.