Pork & Fennel Ragù Rigatoni

Ingredients

• 30 ml Olive oil
• 200 g Onion
• 250 g Fennel
• 120 g Carrot
• 100 g Celery
• 4 clove Garlic
• 600 g Ground pork
• 4 g Fennel Seeds
• 40 g Tomato paste
• 200 ml Red Wine(optional)
• 800 g Canned tomatoes
• 250 ml Water
• 2 Bay leaf
• 2 g Thyme
• 120 ml Milk
• 80 g Parmesan
• 400 g Pasta
• 12 g Salt
• 2 g Black pepper
• 10 g Fresh parsley(optional)

Method

1. 1

   Prep the soffritto: finely chop Onion, Fennel, Carrot, and Celery. Finely chop Garlic. Grate Parmesan and chop Fresh parsley (if using).

2. 2

   Heat Olive oil in a wide deep pot over medium heat. Add Onion, Fennel, Carrot, Celery, Salt, and Black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until very soft and sweet (don’t rush this).

3. 3

   Add Ground pork and break it up into small, irregular chunks. Cook until most of the moisture evaporates and the pork takes on some browned bits. Stir in Garlic and Fennel Seeds for the last minute.

4. 4

   Stir in Tomato paste and cook until it darkens slightly and sticks to the pot in spots. Pour in Red Wine (if using) and scrape up the browned bits; simmer until the wine reduces by about half.

5. 5

   Add Canned tomatoes, Water, Bay leaf, and Thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick and cohesive and the pork is tender and fully integrated.

6. 6

   Stir in Milk and simmer 5 minutes to round out the sauce. Meanwhile, boil Pasta in heavily salted water until just shy of al dente. Reserve 200ml pasta water, then drain.

7. 7

   Remove Bay leaf. Add drained Pasta to the ragù and toss over medium-low heat with a splash of reserved pasta water until the sauce clings thickly and fills the rigatoni. Turn off heat and fold in most of the Parmesan. Serve topped with remaining Parmesan and Fresh parsley (optional).