Yesterday was Sunday and with a little more spare time I took the opportunity to prepare one of the most Italian famous sauce recipes, Ragù (meat sauce). It is precisely because it is one of the best known that it has become one of the most imitated - and unfortunately also twisted - recipes in the Italian cuisine, from housewives to star chefs all over the world.
This is why Pasta Cecchi does not propose the original version, nor to define what the original version should be, but simply a classic version based on the main ingredients that must not be missing in a Ragù sauce. Let's not forget that cooking is an art and that is why the most important thing is if you like what you have cooked!
INGREDIENTS:
- 500g Minced meat (50% beef and 50% pork) - 70g Carrots - 70g Celery - 70g Red onions - 20g Butter - 1 Garlic clove - 1L Tomato sauce without aromatic herbs - 50g Tomato concentrate-puree - 500 ml Water - 1 glass of Red Wine - Salt and Black Pepper to taste - 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 1 glass of Whole Milk - 1 Laurel leaf
TIP!
- Use a large pan with a thick bottom, non-stick coating or at least suitable for long cooking. - Choose the meat you prefer, the meat should not be too lean, but must contain a fat component that allows it to cook for a long time. I personally use minced meat with 20% fat. - Do not choose poor quality wine with the excuse that it will be used for cooking. In fact, good wine is precious for the aromas they release in your Ragù, you can opt for the white one, but Pasta Cecchi prefers to pair a red wine that is considered to be the enveloping flavor of the meat.
- Pasta Cecchi's Ragù is perfect with long pasta such as Tagliolini or short pasta such as Ballerine and Fusilli. It also goes very well with some ravioli like those filled with Ricotta and Spinach.
PREPARATION:
STAP 1
It starts with sautéing, cut the carrots, onions, celery and garlic into small pieces and finely chop them with a knife. Then heat 4 tablespoons of oil with the butter in the pan over low heat and add the 4 freshly cut ingredients to prepare the sauté. STEP 2 Once the vegetables have softened, you can add the ground meat, turn up the heat and cook by mixing the ingredients with the help of a wooden spoon for about 10 minutes. Now that most of the meat juices have dried, it is the perfect time to add the glass of red wine and return to a simmer over high heat. If you no longer smell the alcohol it means it has evaporated and we can add the tomato concentrate, tomato sauce and water (all strictly at room temperature preventing to stop the meat from keep cooking) Now stir and once it starts to boil, move the pan to the smaller stove, turn the heat to low and cover with a lid. Leave the ladle in the center to create thickness and let the steam escape, cook for two hours, stirring occasionally.
STAP 3
Now your meat sauce is ready, turn off the heat, add salt and black pepper to taste and, despite the original sauce having no aromatic spices, add 1 Laurel leaf to give the sauce that little bit extra that will make your sauce special. Let it cool without a lid so that it dries up a bit and then you can use it right away or keep it in the fridge for 2 or 3 days or in a few jars to store in the freezer and enjoy your fantastic sauce anytime!
STAP 4 ...almost time to eat !! As always, put some water on the stove with a pinch of salt to reach the cooking temperature, where you will cook the pasta later (1L / 100g pasta).
Put two tablespoons of Ragù per person in a nice bowl, cook the fresh pasta, today 480g Fresh Eggs Ballerine enriched with Spinach from our special range for 4 people, ready in 1 minute. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce, mix well for 1 minute and your delicious Pasta Cecchi's Ragù will make you dream of being in Italy with its delicious taste and enveloping aroma! BUON APPETITO!
> Order your fresh pasta here!
Available for the happy residents in the area of Leiden (Leiderdorp, Oegstgeest, Warmond, Zoeterwouderijndijk and Voorschoten) delivered from MON to FRI between 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm.
If you want to enjoy our pasta in the weekend, order max before Thursday for delivery on Friday. The pasta has few days of shelf life and you can easily consume it on Sunday!