Spicy Ragu Sauce

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook the pasta.
2. Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. When hot, add 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil to the pot.
3. Add garlic and cook for 5 minutes when the oil is hot. Do not let the garlic burn. If the temperature is too hot, reduce it to medium-low.
4. Add the ground beef, break it apart with a wooden spoon, season with salt & pepper and cook until browned but not cooked through—about 7 minutes.
5. Add the sambal oelek or other hot sauce, and stir.
6. Add the red wine. This will deglaze the pan and allow you to scrape up any brown bits (fond) from the bottom of the Dutch oven.
7. Add the tomatoes and all of the juices. Using a fork or potato masher, break the tomatoes into pieces. Cover and cook for 30 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down, and the chopped beef is cooked through. It is essential to stir occasionally.
8. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook the pasta.
9. The pasta noodles will take about 8 - 12 minutes to cook to al dente. So after the sauce has cooked for about 20 minutes, add the broken lasagna noodles to the boiling water and cook to al dente.
10. While the sauce and pasta are cooking, toast the fennel seed in a small frying pan over low heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove the seeds and crush them on a sturdy cutting board with the bottom of a heavy skillet.
11. When the pasta is done, drain and add to the ragu sauce and toss to coat the pasta.

Serving

1. Line four plates or bowls, add the pasta and ragu onto each plate, spoon a dollop of ricotta cheese on top, and sprinkle each plate with lemon zest and cracked fennel.
2. You can season with salt & pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, but I prefer to let my guest add what they like.