Christmas Pasta

prep time:: 20 min

Makes 6 servings

Rachael Ray makes this pasta dish for her family and friends every Christmas and has included the recipe in nearly all of her cook books. Following the Italian Christmas tradition, her family can only eat fish on Christmas Eve-- but on Christmas, all bets are off!

ingredients

salt
1 pound rigatoni
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta, chopped
1/4 pound bulk hot Italian sausage (or split a link open)
1/4 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
1/2 pound ground sirloin
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Coarse black pepper
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup beef stock or broth
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

directions

1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add the pasta and cook to al dente, with a bite to it.
2
While the water and pasta work, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the pancetta to one half of the pan, the sausage, both hot and sweet, to the other. Break up the sausage into bits and brown while the pancetta renders, then combine and cook together another minutes or so. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then the beef and veal. Brown and crumble the meat into tiny bits and season with allspice, salt, and pepper. Add the carrots, onions, and garlic and cook another 5 to 6 minutes to soften the vegetables, then add sausage and pancetta back into the pan, draining away some of the fat. De-glaze the pan with the win, scraping up all the good bits with a wooden spoon. Stir in the stock, then the tomatoes. Check the seasoning. Simmer over low heat until ready to serve, at least 10 minutes. Stir in half the parsley to finish.
3
Drain the pasta and add back to the hot pot. Ladle a few spoonfuls of the sauce over the pasta and add a couple of handfuls of cheese to the pot. Stir to coat the pasta evenly. Transfer to a large serving dish or individual bowls and top with the remaining sauce and parsley. Pass plenty of extra cheese at the table.