At a glance
Undercook the rigatoni by 2 minutes, toss it with thick tomato and roasted red pepper sauce, then bake with mozzarella and pepperoni. Rest for 5 minutes before adding the basil finish to individual plates.
420 Pepperoni Pizza Casserole
Prep 15 min · Cook 40 min · Total 1 hr · Yield 6 servings
Ingredients & directions
Roasted red pepper and pepperoni rigatoni
Ingredients
Pasta bake
Basil finish
Use a 9 × 13-inch baking dish, a large pot, a colander, a deep skillet, an instant-read thermometer and six small cups. Heat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Grease the baking dish with 1 teaspoon of the plain olive oil.
Directions
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Cook the rigatoni just shy of al dente
Bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil and add the tablespoon of salt. Cook the rigatoni for 2 minutes less than the package’s al dente time. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain. The pasta should be pliable but still firm in the center.
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Build a thick roasted pepper sauce
While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon plain oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the fennel and the ¼ teaspoon salt; cook 5 to 7 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and oregano for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and peppers and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, until a spoon leaves a brief trail.
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Bake until the edges bubble
Toss the pasta with the sauce. If it looks stiff, stir in reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time. Spread in the greased dish, scatter over the mozzarella and lay the pepperoni on top. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the edges bubble, the cheese browns in spots and the center reaches 165°F (74°C). Rest for 5 minutes.
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Finish each serving separately
Mix the basil and vinegar and divide among six cups. Add 1 teaspoon plain finishing oil to each plain cup. For an infused serving, measure its labeled oil and add enough plain oil to reach 1 teaspoon total. Divide the casserole into six portions, spoon each cup over its own plate and identify any infused serving before offering it.
Storage Chill the plain casserole in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or colder for up to 4 days. Reheat plain portions to 165°F (74°C). Prepare the basil finish just before serving.
Serving with THC Use only a labeled oral product for consenting adults of legal age where permitted. Health Canada suggests choosing 2.5 mg THC or less if you are new to edibles. Effects can take up to 4 hours to fully develop. Avoid taking more during that time. Do not drive or operate machinery after using cannabis. Label infused food, keep it apart from plain food, and lock it away from children and pets.
Kitchen notes
Keep the pasta firm and the top crisp
If the sauce runs
Simmer it longer before adding the rigatoni. Drain the jarred peppers well so their brine doesn’t thin the sauce.
If the pepperoni browns early
Loosely tent the dish with foil while the center heats through. The pepperoni should crisp at the edges without turning brittle.
Make it without cannabis
Use plain olive oil in all six cups. The casserole itself is prepared plain either way.
Keep the measured finish small
The total finishing oil is 1 teaspoon per plate. Serve a plain plate if the measured infused oil won’t fit or if you can’t measure it in the label’s unit.
Use the product label
Estimate THC in a portion
Enter the amount of labeled oil you actually measured into one cup of basil finish. Leave the baking dish plain. Use the same unit for the label amount and the amount used.
The estimate is for what you add to one serving. Product variation and any finish left on the spoon can change the amount consumed.
THC in one portion = label THC (mg) × amount used ÷ label amount.
Example: A label lists 2 mg THC per 2 mL. Measuring 1 mL into one plate’s finish adds an estimated 1 mg THC. If six plates each receive that same 1 mL, that is 6 mL and 6 mg THC added across all six plates. A plate with plain oil has no added THC.
Serve it plain if you cannot verify the label or measure the amount in the label’s units.