Equipment
Ingredients
Ragu Base
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 450 g ground beef, 80 percent lean
- 30 g sambal oelek or red-pepper paste
- 120 ml dry red wine
- 800 g canned crushed tomatoes
- kosher salt
Pasta
- 300 g lasagna noodles, dry, broken into 5cm pieces
Lemon-Fennel Ricotta
- 200 g whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and shaved paper-thin
- 1 lemon, zested
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 741 kcal
- Protein
- 41 g
- Carbohydrates
- 83 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fiber
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 15 g
- Sodium
- 1047 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 25 mg
- Potassium
- 1495 mg
- Calcium
- 237 mg
- Iron
- 7.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 106 mg
- Phosphorus
- 363 mg
- Zinc
- 6.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 126 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 40 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 30 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.20 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 22 mcg
- Water
- 139 g
- Alcohol
- 3 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, shaved fennel, lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, and a generous pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Stir gently to incorporate, then set aside in the refrigerator.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef, using a wooden spoon to break it apart into small crumbles. Cook until fully browned and no pink remains, about 7 minutes.
Stir in the sambal oelek or red-pepper paste. Let it cook for 1 minute to toast the peppers and release their oils.
Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
Add the canned crushed tomatoes and a heavy pinch of salt. Bring the sauce to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes to thicken the sauce and meld the flavors.
While the ragu simmers, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the broken lasagna noodles and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain well in a colander.
Transfer the drained noodles directly into the Dutch oven with the simmering ragu. Toss vigorously until the pasta is evenly coated in the meat sauce.
Divide the pasta and ragu among serving bowls. Top each portion with a generous spoonful of the chilled lemon-fennel ricotta mixture. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Using broken lasagna noodles provides wide, rustic sheets that hold thick, chunky meat sauces exceptionally well. Malfaldine or wide pappardelle work as excellent alternatives.
- Sambal oelek adds a bright, vinegar-tinged chili heat that cuts through the richness of the beef. Adjust the amount based on your heat tolerance, but try not to omit it entirely as it provides crucial flavor depth.
- Shaving the fennel as thinly as possible, ideally with a mandoline, ensures it folds seamlessly into the ricotta without being overly tough or fibrous.
- If you prefer the fennel to be maximally crisp, wait to toss it into the ricotta until just before plating. Letting it sit will slightly soften the fennel, which yields a more mellow but equally delicious texture.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store pasta and ragu separately from the ricotta topping to prevent sogginess.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze the ragu only. Pasta and the ricotta topping do not freeze well.
Troubleshooting
Ragu tastes too acidic or sharp.
Cause: Tomatoes and wine did not cook down enough, or the wine was not fully reduced before adding tomatoes.
Fix: Stir in a pinch of granulated sugar and an extra pat of unsalted butter to balance the acidity.
Prevention: Ensure wine reduces by at least half before adding tomatoes, and let the sauce simmer for the full 20 minutes.
Ragu is too loose or watery.
Cause: The crushed tomatoes had a high water content, or the simmer was too gentle.
Fix: Increase the heat to medium and simmer vigorously for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until thickened.
Prevention: Maintain an active simmer so evaporation occurs.
Cultural Context
While traditional ragu requires hours of slow simmering to develop depth, this dish borrows the concept of a rich meat sauce and accelerates it for modern weeknights. By introducing sambal oelek, an Indonesian chili paste, it embraces a global pantry to build instant complexity and heat. The broken lasagna noodles pay homage to the rustic Italian tradition of maltagliati, or badly cut pasta, which was born from repurposing leftover pasta dough scraps.
