| Preheat the oven to 350F.
Heat the olive oil in a large stovetop-to-oven-to-tabletop casserole, 12 by 2 inches deep. (We like Le Creuset.) Rub the ribs with salt and pepper and brown them in batches. Do not crowd the ribs or they will steam instead of brown. As they brown, transfer them to a dish.
If there is a lot of fat in the pan, drain off most of it, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Brown the pancetta; stir in the onions, fennel, and carrots and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and cook 2 minutes more. Raise the heat to high and pour in 1/3 cup of the wine. Cook until the wine almost evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes and oregano.
Combine the remaining wine, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar in a bowl; mix well, then pour over the ribs. Cover the pan tightly with a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil and then a cover and bake for 2 hours or until the ribs are tender. Correct the sauce seasoning if necessary.
(If you don't have a Dutch oven, this wonderful meal can be cooked in a Slow Cooker set at Low for 8 to 10 hours. You might want to use a Reynolds crock pot liner. )
Remove the ribs to a cutting board; trim the meat away from the bone and connective tissue into small pieces and return the meat to the pan. Discard the bones and connective tissue. Keep the ragu warm while the rigatoni cooks.
Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil; add 1 tablespoon of salt and the rigatoni. Cook until the rigatoni is al dente.
Drain the rigatoni and return it to the pot. Ladle some of the ragu sauce over the rigatoni and mix well. Transfer the rigatoni to a platter and pour the ragu over the pasta. Or mix the pasta directly in the casserole dish. Serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano sprinkled over the top.
This recipe is featured in show 1712 — Sunday Dinner. |
