Ragu

On the English Forum this week there was a thread on Pasta sauce and Bolognese sauce, etc. I have read several things and would not comment on that. I just want to add this post, complimentary to last week one on Tagliatelle, where I would like to share with you the hits and tricks to make a proper Ragu. Before I start please let me make a few comments on this topic:

1. There is no such thing as Bolognese Sauce in Italy. What you mean with this term is Ragu or Sugo in Italy. Stay away from a restaurant that in Italy serves Spaghetti Bolognese, it is a tourist trap for sure.
2. There is no such thing as the real recipe for the Ragu, every cook and every person has his/her own way of cooking it and his/her own secret ingredient
3. The best match for Sugo are Tagliatelle or Penne. Spaghetti with Ragu is not a perfect match in Italy.
4. The basics of Ragu is Battuto, i.e. a mixture of finely chopped vegetables, plus Beef minced meat and tomatoes.
5. No spices are added to the Ragu, i.e. Basil, Rosemary, etc.

So let’s start from the very beginning, i.e. Battuto. This word in Italian literally means “Beaten” but in culinary terms its is a mixture of finely chopped mixture of vegetables and herbs that are a base for a recipe. In case of Ragu the Battuto is prepared with what we call “Odori”, i.e. onion, celery, carrot and parsley. Odori literally means Smells and I guess that this word is used because they provide aroma to the dish you are cooking.
In the vegetables section of main supermarkets in Italy you will find bags of “Odori”, ready to be used for your ragu. The same are used also for Lesso .
So going back to our Ragu, consider for 500g of minced meat 1 large onion, 2 carrots, 2 sticks of celery and a handful of parsley. Ideally you should use a chopping knife and lots of patience. I use the food processor, being careful not to overdo with it as it might get pulp like, but you want it to preserve its texture. Once ready transfer everything in a large pan (ideally a terracotta pan) and add plenty of extra virgin olive oil. Cook gently until very very very soften. This might take around 30 min, and you have to carefully check that the battuto cooks without sticking to the bottom or burning.
Once cooked raise the heat and add the salted minced meat and let the meat fry for 10-15 until the meat is thoroughly cooked. The meat should release all the juices into the pan. To enhance the flavor of your ragu you can add some finely chopped dry porcini mushrooms (previously wetted) together with the water using for wetting or a sausage, or a finely chopped chicken or rabbit liver. I do not like wine, but I know of people that add a glass of red Tuscan wine as well.
Once the meat is cooked add a can of chopped tomatoes and leave it to cook for 1h at least. Check that it does not burn or sticks to the bottom. Adjust with salt and pepper and it’s done!
Enjoy with tagliatelle and plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano!