Everyone loves a shortcut. Especially when the final product is  decadent baked pasta like this one…the shortcut here is that you assemble a pan of simple, uncooked ingredients–pop it in the oven, and voilà. Dinner is served!

Store-bought rigatoni, marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and easy-to-assemble meatballs are layered in a 9×13 dish, water is added, and that is all the effort this comfort dish requires. Seriously! No hand-on cooking involved. Serve this baked pasta alongside roasted broccoli or a simple side salad and believe me, everyone at your table will be superbly pleased.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/shortcut-baked-rigatoni-meatballs )

Tagged: baked pasta, baked pasta with meatballs, Food & Wine, Food and Wine, Food and Wine Magazine, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella cheese, ground beef, ground pork, marinara sauce, meatballs, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, pasta, rigatoni, shortcut, tomato sauce