This is such an easy pasta to throw together and so rich and satisfying. Sometimes less is more and the basic ingredients can really sing when left to their own devices.
While this isn’t a recipe tied to one specific village or city, it reflects the rustic cooking traditions of central Italy, particularly around Rome.
Rigatoni is one of the region’s favorite pasta shapes, prized for its ability to hold hearty tomato sauces and pieces of Italian sausage in every bite. Like many of Italy’s best home-cooked meals, the recipe relies on just a handful of quality ingredients prepared simply and well.
If you’re thinking about something with chicken then check out this classic Italian recipe, Authentic Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Or this classic Roman dish, Pasta alla Gricia-Pasta with Italian Bacon
Or this classic dish, Italian Lemon Pasta with Pancetta (Pasta al Limone con Pancetta)
A creamy pasta with homemade sausage, Pasta alla Norcina: Authentic Creamy Sausage Pasta from Umbria
The classic meat sauce, Classic Ragu Bolognese Sauce Recipe: Slow and Delicious
And the Sunday tradition, Authentic Sunday Sauce: A Step by Step To Create A Family Tradition
And one of my favorites, Pasta all’Amatriciana- North End Version
Looking for a list of recipes I come back to again and again, My Favorite Recipes
Ingredients:
6 Italian Sausages, cubed, seared and drained.
1 lb of Pasta, tube like rigatoni is ideal
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1/4 tsp Oregano
1 Onion, minced
1 Carrot, minced
4-5 cloves Garlic, crushed with side of knife.
1-24 oz bottle of Passata
1 Bay Leaf
Fresh Basil
Pecorino Roman
Preparation:
Remove your sausage from its casing, and cube it, sear it in a pan until it starts to release some of its fat and break in into smaller pieces, then drain it.
To the same pan add your onion and garlic, and allow it to sauté and soften. Add back the sausage and your passata, bay leaf, oregano and cook for at least one hour. Then add your fresh basil and allow it to continue cooking until the oil separates. I prefer to add the basil later, as I feel if it cooks too long it loses flavor.
Before you drain your pasta, remove about 1/2-3/4 of a cup of the pasta water. Drain your pasta and add it back to the pan with the reserved pasta water and allow it to finish cooking.
The addition of the pasta water really creates a silky sauce and will vastly improve the final dish. I find this to be true for most pasta dishes. I finished with grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
This article is part of The Pasadena Chef Cooking School. Explore more cooking lessons, techniques, and ingredient guides here. The Pasadena Chef Cooking School
Rigatoni with Tomato Sauce and Sausage
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Remove your sausage from its casing, and cube it, sear it in a pan until it starts to release some of its fat and break in into smaller pieces, then drain it.
- To the same pan add your onion and garlic, and allow it to sauté and soften. Add back the sausage and your passata, bay leaf, oregano and cook for at least one hour. Then add your fresh basil and allow it to continue cooking until the oil separates. I prefer to add the basil later, as I feel if it cooks too long it loses flavor.