Rigatoni alla Pajata: Rome's Ultimate Sunday Sauce

Rinse the pajata rings thoroughly under cold water and pat completely dry with kitchen paper. Do not blanch or pre-boil them — the chyme inside the sealed rings must stay intact.

Warm 60 ml olive oil in a wide, heavy-based pot (a casserole or Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and lightly crushed garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the chili flakes and stir for 30 seconds.

Push the soffritto to the edges of the pot and increase heat to medium-high. Working in two batches to avoid crowding, add the pajata rings in a single layer and brown them on both sides, 3–4 minutes per side, until you have a good golden-brown crust on the exterior. Return all rings to the pot.

Pour in the white wine and let it sizzle, scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pot. Cook until the wine has mostly evaporated, about 2–3 minutes.

Crush the San Marzano tomatoes by hand as you add them to the pot. Add the bay leaves and a generous pinch of salt. Stir to combine, then reduce heat to the lowest simmer — occasional bubbles, not a rolling boil.

Cover the pot and braise for 90–100 minutes, turning the pajata rings gently every 30 minutes. The sauce is ready when the rings are completely tender and yield easily to a spoon. If the sauce tightens too much, add a splash of water.

When the braise is nearly done, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until 2 minutes short of the packet's suggested time. Before draining, scoop out at least 250 ml of pasta water and set aside.

Add the drained rigatoni directly into the pot with the pajata and sauce. Toss over medium heat for 2 minutes, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce is glossy and coats every ridge of the rigatoni.

Remove and discard the bay leaves. Divide among four warmed bowls. Finish each bowl with a generous amount of grated Pecorino Romano and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.