Categories: Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups large homemade breadcrumbs or panko
- 3 tbsp. butter, melted
- Salt
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 oz. cold meaty pancetta, finely chopped
- 1 lb. coarsely ground pork loin or packaged ground pork
- Pepper
- 2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 tsp lemon zest, plus 2 tbsp. juice
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1/2 tsp fennel pollen (optional)
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, plus freshly grated cheese for tossing and serving
- 1 lb. mezze rigatoni
- A small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 350. On a baking sheet, toss the breadcrumbs and butter; season with salt. Bake, stirring once, until toasted and golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool.
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Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
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In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the pancetta. Cook, stirring often, until the fat begins to render, about 2 minutes. Add the ground pork. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat with a spoon, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add the rosemary, garlic, 2 tsp lemon zest, the fennel seeds, crushed red pepper, and the fennel pollen, if using. Stir until aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine. Cook, stirring often, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and the Parm rind, if using. Reduce heat to low. Let the sauce simmer while you cook the pasta.
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Salt the boiling water and add the pasta. Cook until 1 minute shy of package directions. Scoop out about 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
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Discard the Parm rind from the sauce. Add a generous handful of grated Parm, then lemon juice, and the pasta to the sauce. Toss, adding the cooking water as needed. Season with salt.
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Toss the breadcrumbs with the remaining 2 tsp lemon zest, the parsley, and a bit more Parm. Serve the pasta in shallow bowls. Top with the breadcrumbs.