Rigatoni Alla Fontina

This is Italian comfort food stripped down to its essentials. Rigatoni tossed in sweet butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano, layered with slices of melty Fontina cheese, and baked at high heat until everything fuses into one golden, cheesy gratin. No sauce needed. The cheese IS the sauce.

Cook the rigatoni extra al dente because it finishes in the oven. Pull it 2 to 3 minutes before you normally would. If you cook it fully on the stovetop, the pasta turns mushy and soft after 15 minutes in a hot oven, and rigatoni should have bite.

Fontina is the star here, not just any melting cheese. Real Italian Fontina Val d’Aosta has a nutty, slightly funky flavor that intensifies when melted. The pinch of nutmeg in the butter coating amplifies that nuttiness. It’s a subtle addition you won’t taste directly, but you’d notice if it was missing.

Chef Tips

• Use Italian Fontina, not the Scandinavian version. Italian Fontina melts into creamy pools while Scandinavian Fontina stays rubbery and bland.
• Slice the Fontina thin so it melts evenly in the 15-minute bake time. Thick chunks leave unmelted pockets.
• Butter the baking dish well. The bottom layer of pasta will stick and burn without it.
• Serve immediately on flat plates as the recipe suggests. This sets up fast as it cools and loses that gorgeous flowing cheese.

Variations

• Add thin slices of prosciutto between the pasta layers for a heartier main course.
• Replace Fontina with Taleggio for an even creamier, more pungent version.
• Toss a handful of fresh sage leaves into the butter for an herbaceous note that pairs beautifully with both cheeses.