80 g (approx. 5.5 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil (or butter)
Fine salt, to taste
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Instructions
Prepare the meatball mixture: Remove the casing from the sausage and chop the meat coarsely with a knife. In a large mixing bowl, combine the minced pork, chopped sausage, grated Pecorino, chopped parsley, and the fresh breadcrumbs (crumbled in a food processor). Add the eggs, season with salt and pepper, and knead by hand until thoroughly blended and compact. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
Start the tomato sauce: In a large, deep non-stick pan, warm 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat with the whole garlic clove and finely chopped onion. Once fragrant and softened, pour in the tomato passata. Season with salt and pepper, cover with a lid, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Shape the meatballs: While the sauce simmers, roll the meat mixture into tiny meatballs weighing approximately 10 g (0.35 oz) each—you should get around 70 mini meatballs. Arrange them on a platter.
Cook meatballs in the sauce: After the sauce has simmered for 30 minutes, remove the garlic clove. Gently drop the mini meatballs directly into the simmering sauce. Stir gently with a silicone spatula, season with a touch more salt and pepper if needed, and let simmer over low heat for an additional 15 minutes. Stir in the torn basil leaves and cook for a final 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Hard-boil the eggs: Place the 4 eggs in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 8–10 minutes. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice-cold water to stop cooking. Once completely cool, peel the eggs, slice them neatly, and set aside.
Prepare the cheese: Cut the sheep's milk cheese (or scamorza) into thin slices, then strips, and finally into small cubes. Set aside.
Make the béchamel sauce: Warm the rice milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter (or heat the olive oil) over low heat. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the flour to avoid lumps, creating a smooth paste (roux). Return to low heat and cook for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden. Slowly pour in the warm rice milk in a thin stream while whisking continuously. Add a pinch of nutmeg and salt. Simmer gently for 5–6 minutes, whisking constantly until thickened and smooth. Pour into a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the rigatoni and cook only until half-done (about half the time indicated on the package directions). Drain well, transfer directly to the pan with the meatball sauce, and toss thoroughly until every piece of pasta is coated.
Assemble the dish: Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of a large baking dish. Add half of the sauced rigatoni and meatballs in an even layer. Top with half of the sliced hard-boiled eggs, half of the cubed cheese, and a light dusting of grated cheese. Drizzle a few spoonfuls of béchamel across the surface. Create a second layer with the remaining pasta and meatballs, the rest of the egg slices, the remaining cubed cheese, and the rest of the béchamel sauce. Finish by generously dusting the top with the remaining grated cheese.
Bake and serve: Bake in a preheated conventional oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes (or in a convection oven at 160°C / 320°F for about 7 minutes). Switch the oven to the broiler/grill setting and broil for roughly 5 minutes until golden brown and bubbly on top. Remove from the oven and let rest at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before slicing and serving.
