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1
Mound the semolina on the work surface and make a well, then add the lukewarm water gradually — lukewarm rather than cold so the semolina hydrates evenly and the dough comes together without dry pockets — working it until it is firm, smooth, and cohesive, neither sticky nor crumbling. Knead for 8–10 minutes, then wrap and rest for 30 minutes so the water finishes distributing through the semolina and the dough relaxes enough to roll without springing back. It should be noticeably stiffer than an egg pasta dough; it must resist, not yield, when pressed.
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2
Roll the rested dough into ropes approximately 8 mm in diameter and cut into 6 cm lengths. Lay a ferro — a knitting needle or thin metal skewer — across one piece at a slight diagonal and roll the dough under the palm along the work surface, applying even pressure, so the dough spirals around the needle and forms both the hollow core and the ridged surface that will grip the ragù later. Slide the maccherone off cleanly; a torn or collapsed piece must be re-formed, as a sealed or split centre will not draw in the sauce during finishing.
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3
Pat the kid goat pieces dry so that surface moisture does not steam the meat and prevent the crust from forming. Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy casserole over high heat and brown the meat in batches, turning to build a deep mahogany crust on all sides. This is where the dish lives or dies: insufficient browning leaves the ragù flat and the goat's mineral character undeveloped — the Maillard crust is the flavour foundation of the entire braise.
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4
Remove the browned meat and reduce the heat to medium. Sweat the onion and garlic in the residual fat — which carries the concentrated drippings from the browning, dissolving them into the base of the sauce — until translucent and soft, then add the peperoncino. Return the meat to the casserole, pour in the white wine, and allow it to reduce by half; the sharp alcohol smell should give way to a softer, rounded aroma before you proceed.
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5
Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, lemon thyme, and wild fennel tops, stirring to combine so the aromatics are distributed evenly through the liquid rather than sitting on top where they perfume unevenly. The liquid should reach approximately halfway up the meat, enough to braise without boiling. Cover and cook over a very low heat for 2 hours, turning the pieces once at the midpoint; the meat should be yielding when pressed and beginning to fall from the bone.
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6
Remove the goat pieces and pull the meat from the bones in rough shreds, returning it to the sauce — shredding rather than chopping so each piece stays textured and catches in the hollow pasta. Discard the bay leaves, thyme stems, and fennel tops. The sauce should be thick and concentrated; if it has over-reduced and looks tight or grainy, add a little water and stir, then taste for chilli and salt.
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7
Bring a large pan of well-salted water to a rolling boil — heavily salted water seasons the pasta from within as it cooks, which no amount of sauce can replicate afterwards. Cook the maccheroni al ferretto until firm but cooked through with no raw white centre visible at the cut. Reserve one ladle of the cooking water before draining, as its starch will later help the sauce bind to the pasta.
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8
Add the drained pasta directly to the ragù over medium heat and toss, adding the reserved pasta water gradually so the starch loosens the sauce to a consistency that clings to and enters the hollow core of each maccherone rather than pooling in the pan. When the sauce coats every piece evenly and there is no liquid collecting at the bottom of the casserole, the dish is ready.
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9
Divide between four warmed bowls and finish each portion with a generous grating of aged Calabrese Pecorino di montagna. Serve immediately; the pasta continues to absorb the sauce as it sits.