This was my Saturday night, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. You can bet there was an Italian record spinning while I was in the kitchen.

It was just as good as it looks. Compliments of the November issue of La Cucina Italiana.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 pound ground pork shoulder

3 leafy sage sprigs

1 rosemary sprig

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1/3 cup finely chopped carrot

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup broth

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons finely chopped fennel [I used primarily the bulb–the magazine didn’t state leaves vs bulb]

1/2 cup dry red wine

Salt

3/4 pound spaghetti/linguine/noodle of choice

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add pork, sage, and rosemary, cooking to break up the pork as it cooks. After 4 minutes, add the onion, carrot, and celery. Stir occasionally for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables soften. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, stirring until the flour is wet. Add the broth, fennel, and wine, mixing well. Bring mixture to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 20 minutes, tasting occasionally to see how much salt you like. Now is a perfect time to cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta and add to the serving dish. When the ragu has thickened to desired consistency, pour over the the pasta. Toss to incorporate. Top with half of the cheese and stir again. Top with the remaining cheese and parsley. This supposedly makes 6 servings, but it ended up being enough for 2 + a small portion for the next day.