Jonathan Waxman's Sausage Ragù with Spinach & Ricotta

"I love the absolute simplicity of this pasta dish," says the chef-owner of Barbuto in N.Y.C. about his recipe, adapted from The Barbuto Cookbook

Photo: Victor Protasio

"I love the absolute simplicity of this pasta dish," says the chef-owner of Barbuto in N.Y.C. about his recipe, adapted from The Barbuto Cookbook.

Jonathan Waxman's Sausage Ragù with Spinach & Ricotta

2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

1 lb. milk Italian pork sausage, casings removed

1 medium-size (9-oz.) yellow onion, chopped

3 (1-oz.) shallots, chopped

4 medium garlic cloves, smashed

1 cup (8 oz.) dry red wine

4 small (2 oz. each) plum tomatoes, cut into small cubes

1/2 cup water

10 oz. uncooked fettuccine

11 oz. fresh baby spinach

1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook, crumbling with a spoon and stirring often, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove sausage; set aside. Reserve drippings in Dutch oven.

2. Add 1 tablespoon oil to Dutch oven; heat over medium-high heat. Add onion, shallots and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add wine; cook, scraping the bottom to loosen browned bits, until liquid reduces by half, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, using spoon to mash slightly. Add water and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions; drain.

4. Gradually add spinach to tomato mixture; cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Add ricotta, parsley, basil, chives, sage, salt and pepper; stir to combine. Add cooked pasta and butter; toss to coat. Serve hot.

Quick tip! "In this recipe, the tomatoes can be either fresh or canned," says Waxman. If you prefer canned, use 1 cup undrained whole, peeled San Marzano plum tomatoes.

Serves: 6

Active time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour