The rich sauce has this comforting and traditional Italian taste thanks to carrots and other vegetables, and the Rigatoni noodles are perfect for capturing a good help from Ragù with each bite.
I made this dish for friends who thought the pasta was worth waiting.
“The dish reminded me of a cross between the Bolognais and a ziti baked in the oven!” My friend Sara said. “Certainly a work of love but, for someone who does not cook, it’s really worth it!”
My sous-chef, Zach, also loved the taste, although it does not agree that it was worth the additional effort in the kitchen.
“As Prue would say about” The Great British Bake-Off “, it was worth the calories-but I wouldn’t say it was worth the time,” he said. “Although it is really fun to cook it, I think you could really make a dish that was 90% as good with simply focusing on the ragù and toasting the pasta, compared to cooking completely.”
The next time I make this dish, I will follow the point of Garten to do the ragù one day in advance – which you can refrigerate before cooking and serving.
Get the complete Rigatoni recipe cooked in the oven in Garten with the lamb ragù here.
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