First of All, prepare the meat sauce by chopping up all the vegetables (except the tomato) and browning them in 6 tablespoons of olive oil. When they have taken on color, add the minced meat, raise the heat and cook over a medium flame for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon.

Add the tomatoes or the purèe, season with salt and pepper and leave to simmer very gently for an hour (but it is fine of you allow it to cook for longer), stirring with a wooden spoon from time to time.

Cook the rigatoni in plenty of salted, boiling water and drain when the pasta is practically half-cooked. Put the ragù into a large saucepan, pour in the rigatoni and allow to finish cooking.

The Italian term "strascicati" means "dragged through the sauce".