Fresh Rigatoni with Spicy Pork Ragu

Step 1

1 Prepare your ingredients: Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Peel the onion, carrots, and garlic. Small dice the onion and carrots, and slice the garlic. Pick off the oregano leaves and roughly chop them. Grate the Pecorino cheese. Transfer the canned tomatoes and juice to a medium bowl. Using your hands, or carefully using the sharp edge of the can’s lid, cut the tomatoes into smaller pieces.

Step 2

2 Start the sauce: Heat some olive oil in a large pot on high until hot. Add the onion and carrot, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until the carrots start to soften. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute longer, stirring.

Step 3

3 Finish the sauce: Add the pork and half of the chopped oregano, breaking up the meat with a spoon. Cook about 5 minutes or until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes with your hands to break them up even further. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Step 4

4 Cook the mezzi rigatoni: After the sauce simmers for about 5 minutes, add the rigatoni pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water.

Step 5

5 Add the pasta to the sauce: Add the drained pasta to the pot with the sauce. Stir until the pasta is well coated. Cook 1 minute longer. (Add some of the pasta cooking water if the sauce is too thick.)

Step 6

6 Plate your dish: Divide the pasta and sauce between 2 dishes. Sprinkle each with the grated Pecorino and the remaining chopped oregano. Buon appetito!

Step 7

1 Prepare your ingredients: Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Peel the onion, carrots, and garlic. Small dice the onion and carrots, and slice the garlic. Pick off the oregano leaves and roughly chop them. Grate the Pecorino cheese. Transfer the canned tomatoes and juice to a medium bowl. Using your hands, or carefully using the sharp edge of the can’s lid, cut the tomatoes into smaller pieces.

Step 8

2 Start the sauce: Heat some olive oil in a large pot on high until hot. Add the onion and carrot, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until the carrots start to soften. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute longer, stirring.

Step 9

3 Finish the sauce: Add the pork and half of the chopped oregano, breaking up the meat with a spoon. Cook about 5 minutes or until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes with your hands to break them up even further. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Step 10

4 Cook the mezzi rigatoni: After the sauce simmers for about 5 minutes, add the rigatoni pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water.

Step 11

5 Add the pasta to the sauce: Add the drained pasta to the pot with the sauce. Stir until the pasta is well coated. Cook 1 minute longer. (Add some of the pasta cooking water if the sauce is too thick.)

Step 12

6 Plate your dish: Divide the pasta and sauce between 2 dishes. Sprinkle each with the grated Pecorino and the remaining chopped oregano. Buon appetito!