Red Hen's Mezzi Rigatoni is a beautifully crafted pasta dish that balances rich, velvety textures with bold, aromatic flavors. The fresh, hand-cut mezzi rigatoni, made from semolina and durum wheat flour, provides a firm bite that perfectly captures the robust ragu, infused with caramelized garlic, fennel sausage, and a touch of fennel pollen for an elevated floral note. Finished with a dusting of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano, the dish delivers a satisfying combination of savory depth and subtle sweetness.
Washington DC
Red Hen
Mezzi Rigatoni
Mezzi rigatoni / Extra virgin olive oil / Slivered garlic / Fennel sausage / Salt / Butter / Parmigiano Reggiano / Pecorino Romano / Tomato sauce
Signature Dish
From Prep to Plate
Host Seth Tillman heads to Red Hen, an Italian restaurant in Washington, D.C.'s Bloomingdale neighborhood, where Chef Mike Friedman takes him through the process of making mezzi rigatoni, a fresh dry pasta with a ridged tubular shape perfect for capturing sauce. The dish comes to life in The Red Hen’s kitchen, where it's paired with a rich fennel sausage ragu, made with fennel seed and coriander.
You really can’t go wrong if you go heavy on the carbs at this rustic Italianish-American restaurant in Bloomingdale. One staple: rigatoni with fennel-sausage ragu. Our server sold the Red Hen classic by saying it’s the perfect dish if you’re having a bad day. It has never failed to make us smile.
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