A simple, aromatic pork ragù topped with creamy herbed ricotta is the dinner to make on a chilly autumn night.
This ragù with ground pork, aromatics, and creamy herbed ricotta has been on rotation in my house. Easy to make, full of flavor.
With just a few ingredients, a thirty-minute simmer, and a quick broil, I can’t say enough good things about this pasta. The ragù is enhanced with fennel pollen and sweet vermouth, giving it a sweet, herbal flavor that pairs beautifully with savory, rich ground pork. Fennel pollen is pricey, so you can omit it if you don’t have it. It’s one ingredient I love to keep tucked away because a little goes a long way, so even though the upfront cost is high, a tin lasts me a very long time. You can also crush a small pinch of fennel seeds and add to the pork as it cooks.
What you need
- Ground pork: You can replace with ground beef, chicken, or turkey.
- Aromatics: I use carrot, celery, onion, and garlic as the aromatic base of the ragù.
- Flavoring: I also add fennel pollen and sweet vermouth to deepen the flavor of the sauce. I like to use heavy-hitters for flavor since we don’t get the benefit of a long simmer.
- Tomatoes and chicken stock: I use diced tomatoes and chicken stock, but you can use crushed tomatoes if you want a thicker ragù.
- Rigatoni: Use your favorite pasta, but I prefer a short, tubular shape for the sauce. Rigatoni, penne, mezzi rigatoni, or lumache are all great options.
- Herbed ricotta: This is made with just ricotta, minced parsley, lemon juice, and heavy cream.
How to make it
Step 1: Brown the pork.
Cook the pork until the pork is browned and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Step 2: Cook the aromatics.
Sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until they begin to soften. Add the garlic, fennel pollen, and deglaze with sweet vermouth.
Step 3: Simmer the ragù.
Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Partially cover the pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes until most of the liquid cooks off.
Step 4: Cook the pasta.
Boil the pasta and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
Step 5: Prepare the herbed ricotta.
Meanwhile, combine ricotta, minced parsley, lemon juice, and heavy cream in a bowl and stir until smooth and combined. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 6: Finish the pasta.
Add half the pasta water to the sauce and return to a boil. Add the cooked pasta and toss to combine until glossy and coated. Turn off the heat. Spoon dollops of the ricotta on top of the pasta and transfer to the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes until the tops of the pasta begin to brown and the ricotta melts a bit.
Step 7: Serve it up.
Spoon the pasta and ricotta into bowls and serve with a side salad or roasted vegetables.
Pork Ragù with Herbed Ricotta
Ingredients
Pork ragù:
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
- Crushed red pepper (to taste)
- 1 yellow onion (about 4 ounces, peeled and finely diced)
- 1 carrot (about 2 ounces, peeled and finely diced)
- 1 rib celery (trimmed and finely diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
- ½ teaspoon fennel pollen (optional)
- ¼ cup sweet vermouth (or use water or white wine)
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken stock (or water; plus more as needed)
- 8 ounces rigatoni
Herbed ricotta:
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup Italian parsley (tightly packed and minced)
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
Brown the pork:
- Heat 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil in an oven-proof wide pot over medium heat. Add the pork and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Sauté for about 10 minutes until well-browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Once the pork is completely browned, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain off all but a thin layer of fat from the pot.
Sauté the aromatics:
- Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon fennel pollen, if using, and toss to coat.
Simmer the ragù:
- Pour in the sweet vermouth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and return to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the cooked pork. Taste and add more salt as desired. Reduce the heat to medium-low and partially cover the pot. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Stir the ragù occasionally and add a few splashes of water as needed to prevent it from sticking. Adjust the heat as needed. You want the liquid to be bubbling, but not aggressively so. The ragù should be thick and meaty, so be careful not to add too much liquid. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed
Cook the pasta:
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.
Make the herbed ricotta:
- As the pasta cooks, combine ½ cup ricotta cheese with the minced parsley, 1 tablespoon heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Whisk until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Finish the pasta:
- Add ½ cup of pasta water to the ragù along with the cooked pasta. Toss to coat and add more pasta water as needed until the pasta is coated. You may need the entire cup or just half depending on your preference. Turn off the heat.
Broil the ricotta cheese:
- Turn on the broiler. Spoon dollops of the ricotta cheese over the pasta. Drizzle with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and transfer to the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese develops a few brown spots and the edges of the rigatoni crisp up slightly. Watch closely to prevent burning. Remove from the oven.
To serve:
- Spoon the pasta into shallow bowls and enjoy with a side salad, garlic bread, or roasted vegetables.
