Ragu is not necessarily a jar of commercial pasta sauce that you pour into a saucepan to reheat for a few minutes, then ladle atop your spaghetti. Authentic ragu is a rich meat sauce from Bologna in Italy that simmers for hours on the stove; it fills your kitchen with a fragrant bouquet that portends a lusty pasta dinner!
The first time I made the recipe from Marcella Hazan's "The Classic Italian Cookbook," I was confused by the density of meat and the scarcity of tomatoes in the sauce. But that is the essence of a fine ragu: it is a meat sauce in the truest sense. Most importantly, though, the heart of the sauce lies in technique. It is the slow cooking that allows the meat to not only stand out but meld together in perfect harmony with the other ingredients.
Buon appetito!
1 T olive oil
3 T butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup chopped carrot
3/4 pound ground beef chuck
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup whole milk
Nutmeg
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes, with their juice
In a heavy pot, such as enameled cast-iron, heat the oil and butter. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, until translucent. Add the celery and carrot and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the meat, a pinch of salt and few grindings of pepper. Crumble with a fork and cook until the meat loses its red color. Add the milk, let it simmer, stirring frequently, until it has completely evaporated. Add about 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg, preferably, freshly grated. Add the wine and let it simmer until it has evaporated. Stir in the tomatoes. When the tomatoes start to boil, turn the heat down to a very slow simmer. Cook the ragu, uncovered, for at least three hours, stirring occasionally. If the sauce starts to dry out during cooking, add a little water to prevent it from sticking. When done, correct the seasoning by adding a little salt, if necessary.
This recipe serves 6 people, using 1 1/2 pounds pasta. Serve with freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano.
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