Rigatoni With Pork Ragù Recipes

RIGATONI WITH PORK RAGù

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a flat work surface with a sheet of parchment paper. Place ribs on the parchment in an even layer. Season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper on both sides. Heat a large roasting pan on top of the stove over medium heat. Add the olive oil and let heat for 1 minute. Put the ribs in the pan and brown on all sides, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and let brown, 1-2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add just enough water to cover the ribs. Transfer to the oven and braise, uncovered, until the meat is tender, 2-2½ hours, checking after 1¼ hours.
• Check the ribs after 1¼ hours. The surface of the roasting pan should be caramelized around the edges, with bubbles of sauce around the ribs. Return to the oven until the ribs are fork tender, another 45 minutes.
• After a total of about 2 hours of cooking, check for doneness. The meat should be tender and pull easily from the bone. Set ribs aside in the roasting pan to cool slightly.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook for 3 minutes less than what's advised on the box. Meanwhile, pull the pork meat from the bones; discard the bones. Toss the meat with the sauce in the roasting pan to make a ragù. Season with salt and pepper. Break up the dried chili and stir into the sauce.
• Assembly: Reserve ¾ cup pasta water. Drain the rigatoni, then return to the pot. Pour reserved pasta water and sauce into the pot. Cook over low heat, gently tossing the rigatoni with the sauce for 1-2 minutes to allow it to "marry"-or absorb-the sauce. The pasta should be al dente. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Transfer to a platter or bowl and serve with freshly grated Pecorino Romano and more dried chilies.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH PORK RAGù AND ALMONDS (PASTA CHI CIVA)

Steps:

• Work tomatoes with juice through food mill set over a large bowl, scraping pulp from underside into bowl. Discard seeds and other solids remaining in mill.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cook onion in 3 tablespoons oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add pork and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir together tomato paste and water and stir into pork. Simmer until most of tomato paste is absorbed, about 2 minutes, then add tomatoes, sugar, cinnamon, pepper, and 1 tablespoon sea salt. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 4 cups, about 30 minutes.
• While pork ragù simmers, bring 6 quarts water to a boil with 2 tablespoons oil and remaining 2 tablespoons sea salt in an 8-quart pot for rigatoni. Toast almonds in a shallow baking pan in middle of oven until fragrant and a few shades darker, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately sprinkle nuts with extract, tossing. Cool and coarsely chop.
• Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
• Stir together bread crumbs and remaining tablespoon oil in a small heavy skillet and cook over low heat, stirring, until deep golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Cook rigatoni in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until just al dente, then drain. Toss pasta with about 1/2 cup of liquid from ragù in a large bowl. Spread a thin coating of rag‹ in bottom of a lightly oiled 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking dish, then spread half of rigatoni over it. Top with half of almonds, half of remaining ragù, half of bread crumbs, and half of cheese. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients and bake until edges are lightly browned, about 20 minutes.