Here's what you'll need for the dough: 

2 cups Durum Whole Wheat Flour 

1 cup AP flour, extra for dusting and kneading 

1lb fresh strained ricotta 

1 T extra virgin olive oil 

3 eggs 

1 t salt 

For the Sauce: 

1/2 lb ground beef 

1/2 lb ground veal 

1/4 cup tomato paste 

6-8 large sage leaves, chopped or torn 

1/2 cup Heavy Cream 

1 Onion, diced 

3 cloves of garlic, minced 

Salt + Pepper to taste 

Ricotta Salat for garnishing 

For the dough: 

This dough is going to need some time to rest so definitely start here and worry about your sauce while it’s resting. As you know, if I need to impress someone or teach them the different stages of mixing, how to tell when things go wrong and how to fix them I like to mix with my hands. Luckily this recipe is very generous, you can use your kitchen aide mixer for this one! Start by just dry mixing the flours together getting out any big clumps. Then add your cheese, eggs, olive oil, salt and pepper and begin to mix using a dough hook. Mix on medium for about 5 minutes until the dough starts to form and have these shaggy little pieces. Next, dump your bowl out onto a well-floured surface and begin to knead by hand until the dough comes together with a slight push back. It should be about an additional 5 minutes. Cover in plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. 

For the sauce: 

Start by sweating your onions and garlic together until they become translucent. Once they become aromatic, you can add the ground meat. Drop the heat to medium and brown the meat. Just before the meat is fully cooked, add the tomato paste and mix well. Let the pan dry out as the tomatoes roast into the meat. 

*This is usually a good stopping point if your pasta is not yet finished but if you're ready to go you can finish the sauce now. * 

After the tomato paste, add your cream and drop the heat to low. The lactic acid in the cream will start to slowly tenderize the meat and thicken the sauce. Finish with your fresh herbs and salt and pepper to taste! 

Tags: pasta, Italian, sauce, comfort food, sausage, ragu, recipe, recipes