Penne With Sicilian Shepards Sauce Recipes

PENNE WITH SICILIAN SHEPARD'S SAUCE

Steps:

• Mince together the celery and carrot, adding the herbs towards the end to chop only coarsely. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salami and cook to release a little of its fat. Stir in the minced celery blend, the onions, a little salt, and a generous amount of black pepper. Turn the heat down to medium and saute to golden brown.
• Stir in the garlic and hot pepper, cooking a few minutes. Add the wine and slowly simmer the mixture until it is almost completely reduced, scraping up the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as they go into the pan. Cook, uncovered, at a lively bubble (turn the heat up if necessary), stirring and scraping down the sides of the pan with a spatula. Cook 10 minutes, or until thick. Taste for seasoning, cover, and remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in rolling boiling water, stirring often, until slightly underdone. Drain in a colander.
• Add the pasta to the sauce and toss together over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, tasting for hot pepper and salt. Spread about 1/3 of the pasta in a heated serving bowl and daub with a third of the ricotta. Layer in more pasta and ricotta, then the remaining pasta, finishing with a few spoonfuls of ricotta. Serve hot.