Creamy Italian Sausage Rigatoni

Instructions

1. Prepare the Sausage: Combine all sausage seasoning ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Add the mixture to the 96% lean ground beef, mix well, and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.
2. Make the Sauce: Blend the cottage cheese, fat-free evaporated milk, Parmigiano reggiano, Fontina, and Pecorino Romano until smooth. Set aside.
3. Cook the Meat: Heat 15g of olive oil in a large pot. Add the beef mixture in an even layer and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes before breaking it apart. Continue cooking until browned, then remove from the pot.
4. Sauté Aromatics: In the same pot, add the diced yellow onions and cook until browned. Stir in the 20 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tsp of red chili flakes, 1 tsp of crushed fennel, 1/2 tsp of black pepper, and 5g of oil. Cook for 2–3 minutes.
5. Combine: Return the cooked beef to the pot. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and stir in the blended cream sauce until well combined.
6. Final Assembly: Cook the rigatoni in salted water until just shy of al dente. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Finish by adding a handful of parsley and chives. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little milk or pasta water.