Categories: Pasta

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb. Italian cooked ham, parmacotto, cut into 1/2" cubes
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 small carrot, cut into 1/4" dice
• 1 onion, cut into 1/4" dice
• 1 rib celery, thinly sliced
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 1/2 cups Basic Tomato Sauce (see recipe)
• 1 1/2 lbs. ziti
• 1 lb. fresh ricotta
• 8 oz. hard provolone, cut into small dice
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

1. In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over high heat until smoking. Add the ham cubes and brown for 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the carrot, onion, and celery and cook until the veggies are golden brown, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook until the meat is just about falling apart, about 50 minutes. Transfer the meat to a large bowl. Keep the sauce warm.

3. anwhile, preheat the oven to 450. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 2 tbsp salt.

4. Cook the ziti in the boiling water for 1 minute less than directed until still very al dente. While the pasta is cooking, place the ricotta in a small bowl and stir in a ladle of the pasta cooking water to “melt” it.

5. Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl with the meat. In another bowl, add the ricotta, provolone, and tomato sauce and stir to combine.

6. Grease a round 12-inch deep pie dish or a casserole with olive oil. Place a ladleful of the cheese and sauce mixture in the bottom of the dish, followed by a layer of the pasta and meat mixture. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tbsp of the Parmigiano over, then repeat with another layer of the cheese and sauce mixture, then pasta and meat and Parmigiano. Continue until all the ingredients are used up.

7. Bake for 25 minutes, until bubbling and heated through. Serve in warmed pasta bowls.

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