Rigatoni with Ricotta and Ground Pork Ragù Recipe

This deeply flavorful ground pork ragù comes from chef Maria Paolillo of Enoteca Ferrara in Rome. It would make a delicious dish just tossed simply with pasta, but Paolillo spoons the sauced rigatoni over herbed fresh ricotta for added creaminess.

What to look for when buying ricotta

When it comes to ricotta, the fresher the better, so go for a local brand if you can. If there is an Italian market or specialty grocery store near you, it may stock “basket ricotta,” which is sold in the small basket used to scoop it out of the cheese vat, or ricotta labeled “hand-dipped,” which is packed by hand and sometimes comes in metal tins. Both styles are moister and lighter than more mass-produced ricottas.

If you want to step it up even further, Paolillo recommends ricotta romana: a DOP sheep-milk ricotta made in the Italian region of Lazio, in the countryside outside Rome. Ricotta romana is sometimes available at markets in the U.S., including Buon’Italia in New York City.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

• If you don’t have rigatoni handy, any hollow or concave short pasta — like ziti, garganelli, lumache, or conchiglie — would be a fine substitute.

Suggested pairing

A smooth, full-bodied red with some bright acidity but not too much tannin will stand up to the tomato-rich ragù. Try a dolcetto d’alba, such as the 2023 Fratelli Brovia Vignaville, Piedmont, Italy.