Turkey Ragù with Fennel and Ricotta

Things of note:

1. A Negroni Flip [think Negroni with a whole egg shaken into it] is such a good drink.

2. There has been an obscene amount of Breaking Bad watched in this house. I’m not sorry.

3. Just in time for our departure to Thailand, we’ve fallen in love with this place. Go.

So funny story — in my attempt to pick up some ground chicken the other day, I was accidentally given ground turkey. I didn’t notice until I was checking the receipt on the way out the door. I clearly haven’t had turkey lately because I really didn’t think I was going to notice that much of a difference in this ragù.

You do notice, but it’s definitely not a bad thing. It smelled like Thanksgiving in the house, which is always welcome, even when it’s sunny and 80° outside. The turkey nestled in with that white wine and mirepoix and turns out a very different but very good ragù. The fennel and ricotta dotted on top contrast with the comforting goodness of the ragù. It’s bright and fresh in comparison. If you hadn’t had fennel before it’s really black licorice-y in flavor. In other words, I love it. PS, don’t mess around with part-skim ricotta. Get the whole milk version, and you’ll be so much happier.

I’m still convinced that La Cucina Italiana Magazine can do no wrong. I have yet to be disappointed, even if I have an unexpected change to my ingredient list.

Inspiration: La Cucina Italiana

Ingredients

• 1lb of your favorite pasta [I used fresh fettucine]
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.25lbs ground turkey
• 1/2 cup white onion, small dice
• 1 medium carrot, small dice
• 1 celery stalk, small dice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta
• 3/4 cup fennel, small dice
• salt and pepper

Preparation

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat. When the oil is shimmering and sputters when you hit it with a drop of water, add the onion, carrot, and celery. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes, until they get soft and the onion starts to get translucent. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the ricotta and 1/2 cup of fennel with a pinch of salt and pepper. Let it sit while you finish the ragù.

Add the ground turkey, stirring it into the vegetables, and breaking it up as it cooks. Cook for another 10 minutes before adding the white wine. Continue stirring occasionally. Let it simmer together on medium until most of the wine is evaporated. If the turkey is a bit oily, it will soak up at the same time, too. Cover with a lid when it’s mostly evaporated, and turn the heat down to low. Cook for another 8-10 minutes before seasoning with a pinch of salt and turning off the heat.

During the final cooking time, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water before you drain it. Toss the pasta in a bowl with the ragù. After serving the pasta, top with dollops of the cheese. Sprinkle with some of the remaining fennel and eat.