Tomato & Lamb Rigatoni
Yield: 4-6
Tomato & Lamb Rigatoni
While missing a couple traditional elements that typically constitute a ragù, this ragù-adjacent sauce is mostly made from ingredients you probably already have on hand — and it doesn't take a whole lot of effort, either. All you need is some time, and a little bit of patience.
Prep time: 10 MCook time: 2 H & 20 MTotal time: 2 H & 30 M
Ingredients:
Sauce
- 1/2 c. olive oil (approx.)
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 large carrots, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
- 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley (plus more, for serving)
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
- Pinch grated nutmeg
- Salt & pepper
- 1 lb. rigatoni (or other wide pasta variety of your choice, like penne or farfalle)
- 2 tbsp. cold butter
- 1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions:
- Heat a large dutch oven (or heavy-bottomed pot) over medium-high heat. When hot, drizzle in enough olive oil to just coat the bottom. When oil is shimmering, add ground lamb and break up into bite-sized pieces with a slotted spoon. The lamb will release some water in the beginning and continue sizzling after the liquid has evaporated. Continue to cook, stirring frequently until deeply golden brown — approx. 8-10 minutes. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the pot. Season with a generous sprinkle of salt.
- Add onion, carrots and celery to the rendered fat and season with a generous sprinkle of salt. As the "soffritto" releases moisture, scrape the bottom of the pot with your spoon to release any browned bits. Add more olive oil, as needed, so the soffritto never looks dry. Stir frequently, and sauté over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until deeply golden brown.
- Turn heat to medium-high, and add reserved lamb, red pepper, parsley, and tomato paste. Sauté, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste turns dark red — 2-3 minutes. Carefully pour in the canned tomatoes, juices and all. Fill the empty can halfway with cool water, swirl, and add to pot, along with nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper, adjusting as needed. Stir the sauce, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot.
- Turn heat to low and cover the pot. Let the sauce simmer for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so. At the end of the hour, use a wooden spoon (or potato masher!) to break up the tomatoes into small pieces. To avoid tomato juice squirting everywhere, carefully pierce each tomato with a paring knife before mashing. Let the sauce simmer for another hour, covered, stirring occasionally.
- One hour later, set a large pot of heavily salted water over high heat, and cover. Remove lid from dutch oven, and continue to stir the sauce, uncovered, while the water comes to a boil. At this point, the sauce will start to thicken. Cook pasta a minute or two shy of al dente, reserving 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, and drain. Add pasta to the sauce, along with butter and parmesan cheese, and gently fold everything together. Let the pasta simmer in the sauce for 1-2 minutes, until cooked to perfection. If the sauce looks dry, add splashes of pasta water as needed. Taste, and adjust for salt.
- Serve hot with extra parsley, parmesan, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.