Baked Penne with Spiced Pork-and-Beef Ragù and Besciamella

Your ragù and besciamella exactly as written, baked into a bubbling penne casserole for the table.

⏱ 1 hr 45 min · medium · 🍽 serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 medium celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 8 oz 80% lean ground beef
• 8 oz ground pork
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste (2/3 cup)
• 4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup water, plus more as needed
• 1 tbsp salted butter
• 1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated (1/2 cup)
• 1 lb penne
• Kosher salt, for pasta water
• Finely grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Steps

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium. Add carrots, celery, onion, a pinch of salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until soft, 8-10 min.
2. Add beef and pork, breaking up with a spoon. Cook until browned, about 8 min.
3. Stir in coriander, fennel, cinnamon and nutmeg; cook 1 min until fragrant.
4. Add tomato paste and garlic, stir and cook 2 min until the paste darkens.
5. Pour in the wine, scraping up any browned bits, and let it bubble 2 min.
6. Add bay leaves and 1 cup water, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low 45 min-1 hr, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if it looks dry. Discard bay leaves.
7. While the ragù simmers, bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil for the penne.
8. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low. Whisk in flour and cook 1 min. Gradually whisk in half-and-half, simmer until thickened enough to coat a spoon, about 5 min. Off heat, stir in Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
9. Cook penne until just shy of al dente, about 2 min less than the package says, reserving 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
10. Preheat the main oven to 425F conventional (400F fan).
11. Toss the drained penne with the ragù and besciamella in the pasta pot, loosening with a splash of reserved pasta water if needed.
12. Spread into a baking dish, top with a handful of grated Parmesan, and bake until bubbling and golden on top, 15-20 min.
13. Rest 5 min before serving. Reheats well as-is for the next night.