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Garganelli with Lamb Ragù & Ricotta

A rustic and elegant pasta course with ridged garganelli, slow-cooked lamb ragù, creamy seasoned ricotta, Italian parsley and extra virgin olive oil.

🍝 Garganelli 🐑 Lamb Ragù 🧀 Ricotta Tier 2 Labor Ready
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Garganelli with lamb ragù and seasoned ricotta

Recipe Overview

This pasta combines the ridged structure of garganelli with the deep flavor of lamb ragù and the clean, creamy richness of seasoned ricotta. Italian parsley provides freshness while extra virgin olive oil connects the pasta, cheese and meat sauce.

Chef Notes

Drain the ricotta well before seasoning. The lamb ragù should be hot and fluid rather than over-reduced. Cook garganelli al dente and use only enough pasta water to make the ricotta coat the pasta smoothly without becoming watery.

Connected Production

The recipe treats garganelli and lamb ragù as prepared components. Their production labor belongs to their own prep or component production records. This recipe calculates only the labor required to finish and plate the final pasta dish.

Ingredients

Base recipe = 4 servings. Minimum production = 4 servings.

Preparation

Production timing: 20 active preparation min · 15 cooking min · 4 plating min · 6 cleanup min.
  1. Season the ricotta: Place the well-drained fresh ricotta in a bowl. Add the finely chopped Italian parsley, part of the extra virgin olive oil, a small amount of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix until creamy and evenly seasoned.
  2. Warm the lamb ragù: Place the prepared lamb ragù in a saucepan and warm gently. Maintain a low simmer. The ragù should remain rich and fluid rather than becoming excessively reduced.
  3. Prepare the pasta water: Bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Season appropriately with salt.
  4. Cook the garganelli: Add the garganelli and cook until al dente. Fresh garganelli will cook more quickly than dried garganelli. Reserve a small quantity of pasta cooking water before draining.
  5. Dress the pasta: Transfer the hot garganelli to a mixing or sauté pan. Add the seasoned ricotta. Toss gently. Add only enough reserved pasta water to create a smooth coating around the garganelli without making the ricotta watery.
  6. Prepare the plates: Warm the serving plates. Spoon approximately 120 ml of lamb ragù onto each plate. Spread the sauce naturally across the center of the plate.
  7. Plate the garganelli: Arrange the ricotta-coated garganelli over the lamb ragù. Allow part of the ragù to remain visible around the pasta.
  8. Finish: Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil. Finish with grated Parmigiano Reggiano if desired. Serve immediately.

History & Tradition

Garganelli is a traditional ridged pasta associated with Emilia-Romagna. The pasta is formed from small squares of dough rolled diagonally around a thin wooden dowel and traditionally passed over a ridged board. The hollow center and exterior ridges make Garganelli particularly suitable for substantial sauces. In this preparation, lamb ragù provides richness while ricotta and parsley give the dish freshness and contrast.

Service Suggestions

  • Keep the ricotta well drained.
  • Keep the lamb ragù hot but not aggressively boiling.
  • Cook Garganelli al dente.
  • Use pasta water carefully to loosen the ricotta.
  • Plate immediately after tossing.
  • Use Parmigiano as a controlled finishing ingredient.
Nutrition per serving — estimate
Calories ~620 kcal
Protein ~27 g
Carbohydrates ~58 g
Fat ~30 g
Fiber ~3 g