Sagnarelle al Ragù di Maiale Molisano
Campobasso, Molise
Sagnarelle are wide, rough-edged semolina pasta strips unique to Molise — cut thick (3–4mm), irregular in width, with a torn or ruffled edge that catches sauce. Paired with a long-cooked pork shoulder ragù enriched with peperoni cruschi (sun-dried sweet red peppers rehydrated in oil), this dish is the signature Sunday pasta of the Campobasso area. The peperoni cruschi add a sweet, slightly smoky depth unlike chilli.
Toothsome, rough-textured semolina pasta blanketed in a pork ragù sweetened by rehydrated sun-dried peppers — Sunday cooking in a region that gets too little attention
{"Semolina rimacinata dough, no egg; hydrated at 52% with warm water; rested 30 min","Roll to 4mm and cut roughly — the irregular width is intentional and traditional","Pork shoulder ragù: brown in lard, deglaze with Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, braise 2.5 hours","Peperoni cruschi: rehydrate sun-dried whole peppers in warm olive oil 20 min, then stir into finished ragù","Finish pasta 2 min short of al dente in the pan with the ragù and a ladleful of pasta water"}
{"Aged pecorino molisano crumbled over the top (not grated) adds textural interest","The ragù cooking liquid can be used to cook the pasta directly for maximum flavour integration","Leftover ragù improves dramatically the next day"}
{"Using ground pork — the texture of pulled shoulder is structurally different","Fresh chilli instead of peperoni cruschi — the sweet rehydrated pepper is irreplaceable","Overly thin pasta — the dish requires the structural width to carry the chunky ragù"}
Cucina Molisana — Tradizioni di Campobasso
- Wide, hand-cut semolina pasta from neighbouring region paired with slow-cooked meat ragù → Sagne 'ncannulate Abruzzo
- Semolina pasta with pork-based sauce finished in the cooking pan → Orecchiette with ragù Puglia
- Handmade semolina pasta with a long-cooked pork sauce and dried pepper element → Fileja con sugo di maiale e nduja Calabria
Common Questions
Why does Sagnarelle al Ragù di Maiale Molisano taste the way it does?
Toothsome, rough-textured semolina pasta blanketed in a pork ragù sweetened by rehydrated sun-dried peppers — Sunday cooking in a region that gets too little attention
What are common mistakes when making Sagnarelle al Ragù di Maiale Molisano?
{"Using ground pork — the texture of pulled shoulder is structurally different","Fresh chilli instead of peperoni cruschi — the sweet rehydrated pepper is irreplaceable","Overly thin pasta — the dish requires the structural width to carry the chunky ragù"}
What dishes are similar to Sagnarelle al Ragù di Maiale Molisano?
Sagne 'ncannulate, Orecchiette with ragù, Fileja con sugo di maiale e nduja