Spicy Calabrian Sausage Ragu with Stracciatella

Method7 steps · about 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Finely chop the peeled carrot (1), celery stalk (1) and onion (1). Put the chopped vegetables in a bowl and set aside.

   Uses 1 carrot, peeled · 1 celery stalk · 1 onion

2. 2

   Step 2: Heat 1–2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan. Add the 400 g skinless Calabrian sausages and break the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Fry until well browned, about 4–5 minutes.

   Brown sausage · 5 minUses 1–2 tablespoons olive oil · 400 g spicy Calabrian pork sausages, skins removed

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Spoon off excess fat from the sausage pan, leaving about 2–3 tablespoons of the combined cooking fat. Add all the finely chopped vegetables from step 1. Sauté over medium heat until the vegetables are soft.

   Uses Browned Calabrian sausage · About 2–3 tablespoons cooking fat retained after discarding the excess · Finely chopped carrot, celery and onion

4. 4

   Step 4: Once the vegetables are soft, add the finely chopped garlic (2), 1–2 rosemary sprigs and 2 bay leaves. Sauté for 1–2 minutes. If using the wine, pour in all 80 ml, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan and let the wine reduce by half. If omitting wine, continue directly to step 5.

   Sauté garlic and herbs before wine · 2 minUses Browned sausage and softened vegetables · 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped · 1–2 rosemary sprigs · 2 bay leaves · 80 ml red wine, optional; omit without replacement if preferred

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Add all 400 g passata. Measure 400 ml sauce water, use it to rinse the emptied passata container and pour it into the pan. Season with sauce salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so the sauce does not catch. Remove and discard the bay leaves and woody rosemary stems before combining with pasta.

   Simmer Calabrian sausage ragu · 20 minUses Sausage, vegetable and herb base · 400 g passata · 400 ml water for the sauce · Salt for sauce, to taste · Black pepper for sauce, to taste

   
6. 6

   Step 6: While the sauce simmers, bring a separate large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Cook all 400 g rigatoni according to its packet until al dente. Drain, then stir the cooked pasta into the finished ragu to coat it well.

   Uses Water for boiling rigatoni, as needed for a large pot · Salt for pasta cooking water, as needed · 400 g dried rigatoni · Finished Calabrian sausage ragu

7. 7

   Step 7: Divide the sauced pasta between 4 bowls. Distribute all 150 g stracciatella cheese over the portions, and finish each with grated Parmigiano Reggiano to taste.

   Uses Rigatoni coated in Calabrian sausage ragu · 150 g stracciatella cheese for serving · Parmigiano Reggiano, grated for serving, as needed