Basic Ragu Sauce Recipes

NONNI'S HOMEMADE RAGU SAUCE

Steps:

• Add strained crushed tomatoes to a heavy bottomed stock pot
• In a pan cook ground beef thoroughly breaking up into small pieces. When done drain the fat and add to stock pot
• Add olive oil to the same pan and heat on medium. Add the onions and garlic and sautee until the onions become translucent. Add to stock pot.
• Add parsley, basil, oregano and sugar to stock pot. Stir well. Cover slightly and simmer on low for 2-3 hours or until sauce reduces to the consistency you prefer.
• Serve or store in fridge when completely cooked in sealed containers until a later date. Freeze for up to 3 months.

HOMEMADE RAGU SAUCE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, pork, bacon, onions, celery and carrots over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes longer. Add wine; cook until liquid is reduced by half, 4-5 minutes., Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, bay leaves, sugar and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until thickened, stirring occasionally, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. , Discard bay leaves. Add the cream, butter and parsley; cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in cheese. Serve with pasta.

RAGù

Steps:

• To prepare the ragu start to peel the carrot with peeler or a knife, so as to remove the outer layer; do the same with a rib of celery, also removing the top and the bottom part of the stem, including leaves that will not be used for this preparation. Remove the outer layer of the onion and then cut it all into small cubes of uniform size and shape, in a way to ensure a perfect cooking. In a large saucepan with thick bottom pour the extra virgin olive oil and let it heat up. Add the diced celery, carrot and onion and cook for 15 minutes until the onion are slightly transparent and begins turning a golden color. Add the bacon, stir and cook for a few minutes. Add the minced meat, mix well all the ingredients together and let it cook over high heat for a few minutes. Deglaze with white wine, stir well and cook until the liquid has almost completely evaporated and the bottom will be dry, in this way you'll make evaporate the alcohol while maintaining only the aroma of the wine.In the meantime mix the tomato paste with half a glass of hot meat broth, in order to melt it. When the wine has evaporated add the broth in which you have melted the tomato paste, and add the tomato sauce; stir well and cover the pot with a lid. Now turn down flame on the stove at the lowest setting and cook for an hour. After an hour add salt and pepper and a few ladles of hot broth into the sauce, it's important to use only hot broth -and not cold- to avoid the interruption of the cooking of the sauce; cover with the lid and cook for another 3 hours, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon so that the ragù does not stick to the bottom. If you see that the ragù sauce dries too much during the cooking, add a ladle of hot broth when needed.

RICH RAGU

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion, celery and carrot. Fry over a medium heat for 10 mins, stirring now and then, until softened and starting to colour.
• Stir in the mince and cook, breaking up any clumps of meat with a wooden spoon, until browned.
• Add the tomato purée, garlic and thyme, and cook for 1-2 mins more. Pour in the wine, if using, and increase the heat to boil off most of the alcohol. Reduce the heat, stir in the stock and season. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and leave to cook gently for 1 hr-1 hr 15 mins until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened.
• Remove the lid and continue cooking for 15 mins. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions. Reserve a mugful of the cooking water, then drain the spaghetti and add to the ragu with the Parmesan. Toss well and add a little pasta water to help the sauce coat the spaghetti. Serve with a side salad and extra cheese, if you like.

RAGU BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion, celery and carrots until soft. Add veal, pork, beef and pancetta, and cook until evenly brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Pour in milk, and cook until liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and beef broth. Cover, and simmer 2 1/2 hours.