Weeknight Ragù

 

I subscribe to several food/recipe magazines. A few years ago, I toyed with the idea of "cooking the cover" or, in other words, cook and blog the recipe featured on the cover.  When I received the September 2021 issue of Bon Appétit magazine, I KNEW I wanted to cook/share this one with all of you.

You can use your choice of ground meat for this recipe, chicken, beef, pork, or turkey.  If you elect to use chicken or turkey, try to find ground dark meat so it won't dry out while cooking.  I used pork.  This is a quick and easy weeknight meal, but tastes like it's simmered all day. 

4 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 lb. ground pork, beef, turkey or chicken

Kosher salt

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 Calabrian chiles in oil, finely chopped, or 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup double-concentrated tomato paste

1/4 cup heavy cream

freshly ground black pepper

12 oz. gemelli or casarecce pasta

1 oz. Parmesan grated, plus more for serving

basil leaves for garnish

Heat 2 T. oil in a medium Dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add pork in 8 - 10 pieces, spacing evenly, and season with salt.  Let cook, undisturbed, until deeply browned underneath, about 3 minutes.  Turn over and cook until deeply browned on opposite side, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a plate (it won't be cooked through and that's okay).  

Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 2 T. oil to pot.  Cook onion, stirring often, until softened and just beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add chiles and tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until paste is slightly darkened in color, about 3 minutes.  

Return pork to pot and break up into small pieces.  Add cream and 1 1/2 cups water.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat, and simmer gently until liquid is reduced by one third and flavors have come together, 15-20 minutes.  Season ragù with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente.  Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Add pasta to ragù along with 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid and 1 oz. Parmesan.  Cook, stirring and adding more pasta cooking liquid if needed, until sauce coats pasta, about 2 minutes.

Divide pasta among shallow bowls and top with basil and additional Parmesan.

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