by merrill
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Photo by Sarah Shatz
1 tablespoon
vegetable oil
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1 1/2 pound
ground meat (beef, lamb, pork, turkey, sausage, etc. or a combination)
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Salt and pepper
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1
small onion, chopped
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1
fat clove garlic, peeled and crushed
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2/3 cups
dry red wine
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2
28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes, with their juices
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1 handful
fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage, bay leaves, etc.)
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1 pinch
red pepper flakes (optional)
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In a large, heavy saucepan heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When it just begins to smoke, add the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add a big pinch of salt and some pepper and brown the meat well, stirring frequently. (Make sure to use a big enough saucepan, or the meat will boil instead of browning.)
Ask the hotline about this step!When the meat is a good hazelnut brown, lower the heat to medium and add the onion and another pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so, until you start to smell it. Deglaze the pan with the wine, stirring and scraping up all of the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
Ask the hotline about this step!When the wine has reduced by half, add the tomatoes, crushing them with your fingers as you drop them into the pan. Add the herbs (leave the sprigs whole -- you can remove any stems and big leaves later) and the red pepper flakes if you're using them. Bring the sauce to a boil, lower the heat and partially cover the pan so that the sauce is simmering gently. Let the ragu simmer away happily while you do the laundry, clean the bathroom or watch an episode of The Wire (for half an hour at minimum, but ideally an hour or two). The sauce is finished when the meat has become nice and tender, and the tomatoes have broken down, but the more you cook it, the tastier it will get. (If the ragu starts to look dry at any point, just stir in some water.)
Ask the hotline about this step!Remove any herb stems, taste the ragu and add more salt and pepper if necessary. If you like, you can stir in another splash of wine before serving to amp up the flavor. Spoon over pasta, vegetables, polenta, grits, risotto -- pretty much anything that will stand still.
Ask the hotline about this step!Just found this recipe and made it this week, prior to putting together a lasagna tonight. It is easy and DELICIOUS!!! I just used 4 fancy schmancy little d'artagnan sausages as the meat element -- probably not as much as the 1.5 pounds called for in the recipe...but it was still rich and spicy and delicious and beloved by my 13 yr old and my husband. Thanks, Merrill!
You're so welcome! Great idea to use d'Artagnan sausages.
I loved this recipe. It is so easy, and I was able to get a lot of housework done while waiting for it to simmer itself into oblivion. I have already passed this recipe onto several other people. Thanks!
You're welcome! So glad you enjoyed it.
Yum. My favorite pasta sauce. Bolognese. I like adding chunks of celery and carrot to mine, to cook right in with the sauce. Had some for dinner tonight over fettuccine. And this sauce with polenta - such a great cold-weather dish. Or layered into lasagne.
mmmm, with polenta, now that is heavenly. i accidentally ate some ragu with polenta, i say accidentally bec it had pork in it (i dont eat pork). but it was SO GOOD. in persian cuisine we make an omelette with ragu. as you've pointed out, the permutations are endless.
Joanne Chang is the pastry chef/owner of Flour Bakery+Cafe and chef/co-owner of Myers+Chang in Boston.
Merrill, since you don't drain the fat after browning the meat(s), do you find this sauce is greasy at all?