Oven-Baked Pasta with Ragù and Ricotta
A Neapolitan favorite, rich with meaty ragù, tamed by cool ricotta, this is usually baked in the oven. But you could also serve the ragù simply as a sauce for spaghetti or other long, thin pasta, and top it with ricotta. Note that this makes up to 10 servings—or more, if serving light eaters. We find it’s perfect for a cold-weather buffet table.
SERVES 8 TO 10
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little more for oiling the dish
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 dark green celery rib, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 pounds very meaty (“country-style”) pork ribs
1 pound beef shank (osso buco)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry red wine
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, with their juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste, dissolved in ½ cup hot water
Freshly grated nutmeg
Crushed dried red chili pepper
2 tablespoons plus ¼ cup finely minced flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh basil, if available
1½ pounds fusilli, rigatoni, penne rigate, or farfalle
1¼ pounds ricotta (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
½ cup freshly grated pecorino or parmigiano-reggiano
Combine the oil, onion, garlic, celery, and carrot in a large heavy-duty saucepan and set over low heat. Cook gently, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened but not brown.
Push the vegetables out to the edges of the pan and add the pork and beef to the center. Add salt and black pepper to the meat, raise the heat to medium, and brown the meat on all sides, turning frequently. Add the wine and let it cook until the wine is reduced by half, then stir in the tomatoes, crushing them with your hands, and the dissolved tomato paste. Add the nutmeg and chili to taste (the sauce should have a little bite from the chili but it should not be hot as an American chili sauce) and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook at a bare simmer for up to 3 hours, stirring from time to time, and adding a tablespoon or so of hot water if the sauce gets too thick and starts to stick.
Remove the meats from the pan, scraping off the sauce. Shred the meats with a fork, discarding the bones and fat, and return to the sauce. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the parsley and the basil (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. You should have about 5 cups of sauce. (The sauce may be prepared well ahead and refrigerated for 3 or 4 days before continuing the recipe. It should be at room temperature or a little warmer when you’re ready to assemble the pasta al forno—that is, neither chilled from the refrigerator nor hot from the stove.)
Set the oven on 375ºF.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add salt and the pasta and cook for just 5 minutes, then drain. Do not overcook at this point. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven.
Lightly oil the bottom and sides of a 4-quart baking dish, preferably a casserole dish with a lid. Spread about 1½ cups of the ragù over the bottom of the dish.
Mix 2 cups of the ragù with the ricotta. Taste and add salt, if necessary. Combine this mixture with the drained pasta and spoon over the bottom layer of plain ragù. Spoon the remaining plain ragù over the thick layer of pasta. Sprinkle with the grated pecorino and the remaining ¼ cup parsley.
Cover the dish, using aluminum foil if you don’t have a lid. Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover, raise the oven temperature to 400ºF, and continue baking for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and let settle for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.