Tuscan Ragu with Slow-Cooked Soffritto and Red Wine
By Lucas Morgan
Prep
20 min
Cook
120 min
Total
140 min
Servings
10
Cooking onion‚ carrot‚ celery‚ garlic‚ and rosemary in oil without browning them enhances the ragu flavor․ Prepare a Tuscan ragu with ground beef and pork sausage‚ red wine‚ and other herbs․
The dish contains olive oil and simple vegetables like onion‚ celery‚ and carrot in a soffritto‚ plus garlic and rosemary․ The sauce contains uncooked meat such as beef and pork sausage without casings․ Dry red wine is added to flavor and deglaze the meat․ Chopped tomatoes‚ passata or crushed tomatoes‚ and tomato paste are used to create a tomato sauce base․ The sauce simmers‚ covered‚ for a long time․
Cook vegetables over low heat for 10 minutes without browning to flavor the oil instead of browning the sauce․ Browning the sauce can interfere with its flavor․ Cook the meat and break it up until no longer pink․ Signs of properly cooked sauce include tiny bubbles and a meaty consistency․ Stir occasionally to prevent burning․
Serve ragu over pici‚ if available; pappardelle is another suitable pasta for ragu because it is wide․ Leftover ragu can be refrigerated for 2-3 days․ As explained in the article‚ the flavor of the ragu becomes more settled while it is refrigerated․ The best way to serve leftover ragu is to reheat it on the stove with freshly cooked pasta rather than serving other leftover pasta dishes․
Why you'll love this recipe
- A 10-minute sauté at medium-low heat helps to create a flavorful layer in a dish by sautéing onion‚ carrot‚ celery‚ garlic‚ and rosemary in oil until well cooked but not browned․
- Stirring ground beef and sausage frequently while browning prevents clumping in the finished ragu sauce‚ improving the sauce's overall texture․
- Red wine is used to deglaze the pan before the tomatoes go in to add flavor using the drippings from cooked meat and other liquids․
- The 1․5-hour simmering time helps to develop the flavors of tomatoes‚ meat‚ and other vegetables used in the sauce․
- Slow cooking helps to develop more flavor in the sauce than fast cooking methods․
- Tomato passata or crushed tomatoes can be combined with chopped and pureed tomatoes for a richer tomato sauce with a more pronounced tomato flavor․
- There are benefits to making a larger quantity because you can divide the ragu in half and freeze one portion to use later‚ and leftovers will taste better after a few days in the refrigerator․
Ingredients
- •1 tbsp olive oil (1-2 tbsp)
- •1 onion (chopped)
- •2 ribs celery (diced)
- •2 carrots (chopped)
- •2 cloves garlic (2-3 cloves)
- •1 sprig rosemary (leaves only)
- •900 g beef mince (ground beef) (2 lbs)
- •450 g good quality pork sausage (1 lb, casing removed)
- •250 ml dry red wine (1 cup; any wine except cooking wine)
- •400 g canned chopped tomatoes (14 oz)
- •500 ml tomato passata or crushed tomatoes (17½ oz)
- •3 tbsp tomato paste
- •salt (to taste)
- •½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large deep frying pan or Dutch oven.
- 2
Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and rosemary leaves, then cook over low heat for 10 minutes without coloring the vegetables.
- 3
Add the ground beef and pork sausage, then break up the meat with a spatula.
- 4
Brown the meat, stirring constantly, until it is no longer pink inside.
- 5
Pour in the red wine and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- 6
Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato passata or crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, a pinch of salt, and black pepper.
- 7
Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat, cover with a lid, and cook for 1.5 hours over low heat.
- 8
Stir occasionally so the ragu does not burn. If it becomes too thick, add a splash of water and continue cooking.
- 9
When the sauce is thick and very meaty, taste it and add more salt if needed.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
338
Protein
28g
Fat
18g
Carbs
11g
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