• January 27, 2020

Ragu alla Bolognese

Ragu alla Bolognese

Ragu alla Bolognese 954 1024 Cooking Aboard with Jill

This is one of my favorite Italian meat sauces. I think the sweetness of the onion and carrots add to the distinct flavor of this dish. The Ragu alla Bolognese is a slow cooked sauce and a specialty from the town of Bologna in central Italy. Typically they serve it with a flat pasta such as pappardelle or fettuccine. Mangia!

 ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
 1 large white onion, cut into quarters
 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped into large pieces
 2 celery ribs, chipped into large pieces
 3 cloves garlic, chopped in half
 1 ½ pounds ground chuck, pork and/or veal mixture
 2 tsp salt
 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
 Cracked black pepper, to taste
 1/3 cup red wine
 1 cup whole milk
 1 tbsp tomato paste
 Two 28-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes, pureed in food processor ahead of time
 1 tsp sugar
 Fresh basil, garnish
 Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, garnish
 Fresh cooked pasta, (8 ounces of pappardelle recommended)
1

2

In a food processor, pulse-chop the onion, carrot, garlic and celery until they are in small pieces. Set aside. Heat a saucepan on medium high heat. Add ¼ cup of the olive oil until hot. Add the onion mixture and turn down the heat to medium.

3

Stir and sauté for 25 minutes until soft. Add another ¼ cup of olive oil and the ground meat. Break up the meat (I use a potato masher) while cooking. Add the salt, Italian seasoning and milk. Keep breaking up the meat as it cooks. Once the meat has browned, add the wine and cook until half the wine has evaporated.

4

Add the tomato paste and stir completely for 30 seconds until incorporated.

5

Add the tomato puree and sugar. Mix well and cover to simmer on very low heat for one hour stirring occasionally. Prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the box. When ready to eat, serve the sauce and pasta with fresh basil and grated cheese as garnish. Serves 8 people

Ingredients

 ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
 1 large white onion, cut into quarters
 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped into large pieces
 2 celery ribs, chipped into large pieces
 3 cloves garlic, chopped in half
 1 ½ pounds ground chuck, pork and/or veal mixture
 2 tsp salt
 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
 Cracked black pepper, to taste
 1/3 cup red wine
 1 cup whole milk
 1 tbsp tomato paste
 Two 28-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes, pureed in food processor ahead of time
 1 tsp sugar
 Fresh basil, garnish
 Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, garnish
 Fresh cooked pasta, (8 ounces of pappardelle recommended)

Directions

1

2

In a food processor, pulse-chop the onion, carrot, garlic and celery until they are in small pieces. Set aside. Heat a saucepan on medium high heat. Add ¼ cup of the olive oil until hot. Add the onion mixture and turn down the heat to medium.

3

Stir and sauté for 25 minutes until soft. Add another ¼ cup of olive oil and the ground meat. Break up the meat (I use a potato masher) while cooking. Add the salt, Italian seasoning and milk. Keep breaking up the meat as it cooks. Once the meat has browned, add the wine and cook until half the wine has evaporated.

4

Add the tomato paste and stir completely for 30 seconds until incorporated.

5

Add the tomato puree and sugar. Mix well and cover to simmer on very low heat for one hour stirring occasionally. Prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the box. When ready to eat, serve the sauce and pasta with fresh basil and grated cheese as garnish. Serves 8 people

Ragu alla Bolognese

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