Our Italian vacation inspired several new adventures in the kitchen. The first one was a traditional Ragu. A ragu is traditionally tomato based, but we learned that other options are available depending on the meat chosen. Each region has a slight variation depending on the ingredients readily available. I chose a Tuscan Ragu for that reason as my refrigerator held most of these ingredients.
Tools:
- Sharp Chef’s Knife
- Cutting Board or Mat
- Stock Pot
- Wooden Spoon
- Cork Screw
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs Ground Meat (1.5 lbs beef, 0.5 lbs pork)
- 1/2 cup diced Pancetta
- 1 medium Onion
- 1/4 cup diced Carrots
- 1/2 cup diced Celery
- 4 diced Garlic Cloves
- 1 cup of Dry Red Wine
- 1 (14.5 oz) can Diced Tomatoes, drained
- 1 (28 oz) can Tomato Puree
- 10 Fresh Sweet Basil Leaves
- 1 TBSP Fresh Italian Oregano
- Salt & Pepper
- 1 tsp dried Thyme
- 1 tsp dried Rosemary
- 1 tsp dried Marjoram
Instructions:
- Brown the meat on Medium – High Heat seasoned with salt and pepper. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté the Pancetta, Onions, Celery, Carrots, and Garlic (and a little Salt & Pepper) for about 5 min until translucent. Then, add the diced tomatoes and continue to sauté for about 4-5 more minutes.
- Add the cup of wine. I used Saldo Zinfandel. Pour a glass for yourself. Cheers!
- Deglaze the pot with the wine, and add the meat back to the pot.
- Add the can of tomato puree and another can of water.
- Mince the fresh herbs, and add to the pot.
- Add the dry herbs and let the pot simmer about 30 minutes.
- Adjust the seasoning to taste, and continue to simmer for another hour. Total cooking time should be around 2 hours.
- Serve over your favorite pasta and enjoy!
Feeds 6-8 people.
Did you make this recipe? Tag me on Instagram @jennskitchenblog or on Facebook @jwrkitchen.
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