Spicy Rigatoni with Fresh Ricotta

Serves 4 large portions

  • 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes 

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 

  • 1/2 cup whole garlic cloves, skins removed (about 15 garlic cloves) 

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  • 1 6-ounces tomato paste

  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley, plus more for topping 

  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil 

  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

  • 1 parmesan rind, optional

  • 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 pound of Rigatoni

  • 1 cup fresh ricotta 

Drain the whole tomatoes using a sieve set over a medium bowl, reserving the juice from the can. Cut the hard stem off of the tomatoes and crush each tomato in your hand then place the tomatoes back into the juice. Set the bowl aside. 

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Place the garlic into the oil and slowly cook until each clove is golden-brown, about 10 minutes, rotating each clove occasionally. Once golden-brown, remove the cloves to a bowl - if any cloves look like they’re cooking too quickly, remove them sooner. Set aside.

Add the crushed red pepper flakes to the hot oil and stir for one minute then add the tomato paste. Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the parsley, basil, thyme, kosher salt, black pepper, crushed tomatoes and their liquid, water, balsamic vinegar, and parmesan rind, if using. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to medium, cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

After 20 minutes, turn off the heat, discard the parmesan rind, and use an immersion blender to puree the sauce. Once smooth, whisk in the parmesan cheese and butter. Keep the sauce warm over low heat. 

While the sauce cooks, bring a large pot of water to a boil and heavily salt with kosher salt. Cook the rigatoni until one minute shy of al dente, reserve a cup of the starchy cooking water, drain the pasta and add the rigatoni to the sauce. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook the pasta until al dente, adding a bit of the reserved pasta water if the sauce looks too thick. 

When ready to serve, transfer to large serving bowls and top each serving with about 1/4 cup of fresh ricotta. Top with a bit more parmesan, parsley and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes if you desire. Serve hot.