Ragu Rigatoni Bianco Recipe

Prepare base

Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When butter stops foaming, add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and translucent, about 8–10 minutes.

Add garlic

Add the minced garlic and cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown it.

Brown the meat

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the minced pork and veal/beef to the pan. Break the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon and cook until the meat loses its raw color and begins to brown in places, about 6–8 minutes.

Deglaze and simmer

Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Let the wine reduce by about half, roughly 2–3 minutes.

Add liquids and aromatics

Stir in the hot chicken stock and milk, then add the thyme, bay leaf, fennel pollen, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low so the ragu barely bubbles. Partially cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until thick and reduced and flavors concentrate, 45–55 minutes. If mixture reduces too quickly, add a splash of stock or water to maintain saucy consistency.

Adjust and finish ragu

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Remove and discard the bay leaf. If you prefer a slightly silkier texture, use a spoon to press some of the solids against the side of the pan or mash briefly; alternatively leave chunkier for texture.

Cook rigatoni

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon sea salt. Add rigatoni and cook until just shy of al dente (about 1–2 minutes less than package directions), roughly 9–11 minutes depending on brand. Reserve 250 ml of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Combine pasta and ragu

Return the drained rigatoni to the pot or use a wide sauté pan. Add about 3/4 of the ragu (reserve a little for plating) and 100–150 ml reserved pasta water. Over medium heat, toss the pasta with the sauce, adding more pasta water as needed to create a glossy, clingy sauce, about 2–3 minutes.

Finish with butter and cheese

Turn off the heat and add 1 tablespoon butter, the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (reserving a little for garnish), chopped parsley, and the 0.5 tsp fennel pollen for finish. Toss vigorously so the cheese melts and emulsifies with the sauce into a creamy coating. If the sauce seems thick, add up to another 50–100 ml reserved pasta water.

Plate and garnish

Divide the rigatoni among warmed bowls. Spoon remaining ragu on top if desired. Sprinkle with the reserved grated Parmigiano, a light dusting of fennel pollen, a pinch of lemon zest if using, and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.