A great pasta dish starts with a hearty ragu. I chose a pasta that works well with the sauce I’m making. Rigatoni will be perfect. This is my Rigatoni in a Hearty Ragu.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 52 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Equipment: 2 (6-quart) saucepots, 1 (10-cup) food processor, 1 rondeau (deep-sided braising/frying pan), chef’s knife, colander-style spoon, Microplane, cutting board

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground chicken (substitute lean ground beef or turkey)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 large onion, quartered
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped into thirds
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted
1 (12-ounce) jar of roasted Piquillo peppers
2 tablespoons of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons of kosher salt
2 teaspoons of black pepper, freshly ground
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1 cup of chicken broth, low-sodium
1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon of light brown sugar
2 tablespoons of fennel seeds
1 1/2 cups of Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly ground
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, julienned
Garnish:
1/4 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly ground for serving

Instructions:
Process the Pecorino Romano cheese. Transfer to a container and set aside.

Start the *sofrito.
Prepare the vegetables for the food processor. Next, process the onion, carrot, and garlic cloves until finely minced, then transfer to a medium-size bowl. Finally, process the almonds and roasted Piquillo peppers together until puréed. Add the Piquillo pepper purée to the same bowl, and stir to combine. Set aside.

Instructions for the Toasted Pine Nuts:
In a dry sauté pan, over medium heat. Add the pine nuts. Shake the pan over the heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the nuts become fragrant and golden. Remove from the heat.

In a large deep-sided pan (rondeau) over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, ground chicken, fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cook, breaking the meat with the back of a wooden spoon and stirring frequently until the chicken is fully cooked and browned, about 12-15 minutes.

In a large saucepot over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the prepared *sofrito, dried oregano, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and stir to combine. Stir frequently and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the chicken broth. Reduce the liquid by half, about 5-7 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and brown sugar, and stir to combine.

Next, add the cooked ground chicken and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low heat, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

After 1 hour, have a large pot of salted boiling water on the stove. Drop the pasta. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until al dente. Using a colander spoon (or a colander; drain first), transfer the pasta to the ragu. Gently stir to combine.

Remove from the heat, and add fresh basil and grated Pecorino Romano.

To serve, ladle a good helping of the pasta into a porcelain bowl. Grate more Pecorino Romano over the top.

There you have it, my Rigatoni in a Hearty Ragu.

Notes:
1) *Sofrito: A fragrant blend of vegetables, herbs, and spices used to season countless dishes, such as stews, beans, rice, and sauces.

2) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value matter to you, I recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and values can vary, depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/