Spicy Rigatoni Recipe

Make the meatball mixture

In a large bowl combine the spicy Italian sausage (removed from casings) and ground wagyu beef. Add panko breadcrumbs and pour the milk over them; let sit 2 minutes to soften. Add the egg, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined—do not overwork or meatballs will be tough.

Form the meatballs

Portion the mixture into 1 1/4-inch (roughly tablespoon-sized to 1-oz) meatballs; you should yield about 18–20 meatballs. Place on a tray or sheet pan while you heat the pan for searing.

Sear the meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In batches, add meatballs (do not overcrowd) and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch, turning to get an even crust. They do not need to be fully cooked through—just well-seared. Remove to a plate and set aside. Reserve any browned bits in the pan.

Sweat aromatics

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook until softened and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant—do not let garlic burn.

Build the sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to caramelize slightly. If using red wine, pour it in now, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and simmer until reduced by half, about 3–4 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Finish sauce with meatballs

Return the seared wagyu meatballs to the simmering sauce. Cover partially and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, turning meatballs once, until they are cooked through (internal temperature 160°F/71°C) and the sauce has slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves in the last 2 minutes of simmering.

Cook rigatoni

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook until just shy of al dente according to package timing (about 1–2 minutes less than package recommends). Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the rigatoni.

Combine pasta and sauce

Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce with meatballs over low heat. Spoon pockets of ricotta over the pasta and add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Gently toss or stir to combine, adding more reserved water as needed to create a glossy, emulsified sauce that coats the rigatoni—about 1–2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.

Add Parmesan and finish

Stir in 3/4 cup of the grated Parmesan into the pasta to melt into the sauce. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil and fold lightly. If the sauce seems too thick, add up to the remaining reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Reserve a little Parmesan for serving.

Divide the rigatoni and meatballs among 4 warmed plates or shallow bowls. Dollop additional ricotta (if desired) on top of each portion. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan and garnish with whole basil leaves. Finish with an extra pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to taste and an optional drizzle of olive oil.