Ragu Bolognese

This is Classic Italian Ragu, the “Saturday Sauce”, the slow cooked traditional meal for lunch with family on the weekend. It’s served with Tagliatelle, not spaghetti and it doesn’t have garlic, basil or oregano.

One time I made it for a group of Italian friends and I put garlic, basil and oregano it it because that’s just how we roll in America. But when my friend ate it (she had lived 10 years in America) she said “This has an American taste to it, did you put oregano?” Why, yes I did…. “Americans love basil and oregano in their sauce!” She says with a smile. “but it’s good!” (Means not good). So I am a little conflicted, I still really like it with garlic and basil but I no longer use oregano. I save that for my pizza where it is perfectly acceptable.

So to my American friends out there, it’s going to be strange to put carrots and celery into your sauce and adding milk at the end will blow your mind. But that’s the way we do it in Italy. If you want to add garlic and basil I won’t tell.

You should try it the Italian way, then adjust to your taste. I also prefer an “all beef” Ragu but the “equal parts” pork is traditional. I have always been a fast cook, cooking everything on high, but I always think of Pasquale and his attempt at teaching me to cook “Italian Style”.

He would say “piano, piano” (slowly, slowly) after each addition of anything. If we were cooking risotto we sauté the onion and garlic “piano, piano” allowing the flavors to soften and mellow. So with this Ragu, I still cooked the “soffritto” on high but I always wait until it is lightly browned before adding the meat, then allow the meat to get browned, then add the wine and reduce that down (if your going to be a rebel and add garlic and basil, add it right before the wine and allow it to get fragrant then add the wine). Then add your tomatoes and cook those down. Everything “piano, piano”…

Classic Italian Ragu Bolognese

Ingredients:

• 1 medium carrot (50 grams)
• 1 stalk of celery (50 grams)
• 1 small onion (50 grams)
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound (500 grams) ground beef
• 1 pound (500 grams) of ground pork
• 2 cups (500 grams) tomato sauce
• 1 cup Red wine (250 grams)
• 1 cup water (250 gram) (You may end up adding more water, up to 2 cups! But just keep an eye on it and add as you go.)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk (125 grams)

Instructions:

Prepare the Ragu by first preparing the Soffritto (the base of Italian Cooking: carrots, celery and onion). You need to dice the carrots, celery and onion up very finely. I do this by first peeling the carrot then slicing the carrot lengthwise into very skinny matchsticks, then group them together and chop up finely, do the same with the celery but there is no need to peel it. For the onion, after peeling it and removing the top and bottom, first slice it into thin slices so you can see the rings in the onion then cut it crosswise to make a small chop.

Sauté soffritto in olive oil, cook until soft, I allow it to get browned because I think the good flavor and browning if the sauce comes from this step. Add the ground meat and cook until browned. You can drain the fat but the Italians don’t, then again it is usually fairly lean ground beef. Add the chopped garlic clove and salt, cook until just fragrant. Add wine and allow to simmer until it is almost evaporated. Add the tomato sauce and cook, simmering until reduced and lightly browned. Add water and allow to bubble and evaporate for one hour. At the end add the milk and simmer lightly until you are ready for it.