Orecchiette with Sausage Ragù

Step 1

Peel the onion, then cut it lengthwise from top to root into two halves. Place one half flat-side down on the cutting board and slice crosswise into thin strips, roughly 1/8-inch wide; repeat with the other half. You'll end up with a pile of onion pieces.

Step 2

Peel the garlic cloves. Place each one flat under the side of a knife blade, press down firmly to crush it, then chop it into small pieces roughly the size of pencil-tip dots.

Step 3

Open the can of tomatoes and pour the contents into a medium bowl. Use a wooden spoon to break the whole tomatoes into pieces about the size of a plum—you want rough chunks, not a smooth sauce.

Step 4

Set a large heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Once it is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates immediately, add the sausage meat.

Step 5

Break the sausage into small crumbles with a wooden spoon as it cooks, scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking. Cook until the meat is no longer pink inside and the surface looks browned, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 6

Add the sliced onion to the pot and stir every 30 seconds until the onion turns soft and translucent, roughly 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 7

Add the minced garlic and stir constantly until the smell becomes very strong and fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Step 8

Pour in the red wine, then use a wooden spoon to scrape the stuck-on brown bits from the bottom of the pot, stirring until they loosen. Let this bubble gently for 1 minute.

Step 9

Add the crushed tomatoes with all the juice from the bowl, stir well, then reduce the heat to low.

Step 10

Let the ragù simmer uncovered, stirring every 5 minutes, for 25 to 30 minutes until the sauce darkens and tastes rich and meaty; it should bubble gently and look thick.

Step 11

Pour in the milk while stirring. The sauce will look lighter; continue simmering uncovered for 5 more minutes until the color evens out again.

Step 12

Fill a large pot three-quarters full with water and place it on the stove over high heat. Once the water boils rapidly, add salt until it tastes like seawater, then add the orecchiette.

Step 13

Stir the pasta once right after it hits the water, then stir again after 4 minutes. Cook until the pasta is tender but still slightly firm when you bite a piece, about 10 to 12 minutes total.

Step 14

Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water by carefully scooping some into a measuring cup, then drain the pasta in a colander.

Step 15

Return the hot pot to the stove over low heat. Add the drained pasta, the ragù, and 2 tablespoons of the milk, then stir gently until the pasta and sauce come together.

Step 16

If the sauce looks too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water—about 2 tablespoons at a time—and stir until creamy.

Step 17

Divide the pasta evenly among four bowls. Top each with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve immediately while hot.