**Mario Batali's Ragu Bolognese: A Classic Italian Dish with a Rich History**
Ragu Bolognese, also known as Ragu alla Bolognese, is a hearty and flavorful Italian meat sauce that originates from the city of Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. This classic dish is made with a combination of ground beef, pork, and pancetta, simmered in a rich tomato sauce for hours until it reaches a thick and velvety consistency. The addition of red wine, milk, and a touch of cream further enhances the depth of flavor. This versatile sauce can be served with various types of pasta, such as tagliatelle, pappardelle, or spaghetti, and is often topped with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Alongside the traditional Ragu Bolognese, this article also includes recipes for a vegetarian version made with lentils and vegetables, a slow-cooker variation for easy weeknight meals, and a secret ingredient ragu that adds a unique twist to the classic dish. Whether you're a seasoned home cook or a beginner looking to explore the world of Italian cuisine, these recipes offer a delicious and authentic taste of Ragu Bolognese.
WEEKNIGHT BOLOGNESE
Steps:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground sirloin and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the meat has lost its pink color and has started to brown. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt, a splash of oil, and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the box.
- While the pasta cooks, finish the sauce. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and the remaining 1/4 cup wine to the sauce and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. When the pasta is cooked, drain and pour into a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and 1/2 cup Parmesan and toss well. Serve hot with Parmesan on the side.
RAGù BOLOGNESE
Steps:
- Heat the butter and oil together in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables have softened and the onions are translucent, 5-10 minutes. Stir in the prosciutto. Add the ground chuck and pork, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking up the clumps of meat with the back of the spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, 5-10 minutes. Avoid frying or browning the meat.
- Season the meat with nutmeg. Add the wine to the pot and cook until evaporated, 10-12 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the tomato purée and stock together in a saucepan until hot, then add it to the meat. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, 5-7 hours. Add water if needed to keep the ragù loose and saucy. Season with salt and pepper.
MARIO BATALI'S RAGU BOLOGNESE
Steps:
- Heat the oil and butter in a 6-8 qt heavy bottomed pot,set over medium heat, until hot. Add the onions, celery, carrots, garliccook until the vegetables are translucent but not browned, 5-10 minutes. Add the meats. Increase the heat to high, and brown the meat stirring frequently for 25 min. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook and stir for another 20 min. Stir in the tomato paste, and cook for another 30 min. Add the milk and cook for one hour. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium high, and bring to a boil. Cook until the wine has evaporated and the alcohol has cooked off about 5 min. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, adding a splash of water if necessary to keep the sauce from drying out, Season the ragu with salt. Remove it from the heat and let it cool. To serve with pasta add 2 cups of the raguto the tagliatelli and toss vriefly over high heat. Makes 4 servings. The rest of the sauce can be frozen up to 2 month.
LASAGNA BOLOGNESE
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 5h10m
Yield 10-12 servings
Number Of Ingredients 29
Steps:
- Make the ragu: Soak the porcini mushrooms in 2 cups hot water until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain the porcini, reserving the liquid.
- Finely chop the porcini and white mushrooms in a food processor; transfer to a bowl. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, parsley and prosciutto to the processor; pulse until finely chopped.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Cook the ground beef and pork in batches, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the meat to a bowl. Add the wine to the pot, scraping up the browned bits. Add the liquid to the bowl with the meat.
- Melt the butter in the pot; add the onion, chopped carrot mixture, the rosemary, bay leaves and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mushrooms and cook, stirring, about 8 minutes.
- Return the meat mixture to the pot. Add the cognac and scrape up the browned bits. Cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Crush the tomatoes with your hands over the pot and add with their juices. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 2 hours, 30 minutes. Cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the bechamel: Melt the butter in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook, whisking, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking, 10 more minutes.
- Assemble the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a few inches of salted water to a boil in a wide saucepan. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Line a baking sheet with a damp kitchen towel. Working in batches, boil the pasta until partially cooked, about 4 minutes, then remove with a skimmer and transfer to the ice water to cool. Remove the pasta sheets, shake off the excess water and arrange in a single layer on the towel. Cover the pasta with another damp towel.
- Brush the bottom and sides of a deep 11-by-13-inch baking dish with the butter. Spread 1/2 cup ragu in the pan. Cover with a layer of pasta, then sprinkle with 1/3 cup parmesan and 2/3 cup mozzarella. Spread 1 1/2 cups ragu over the cheese and top with 1 cup bechamel. Repeat with 3 more layers each of pasta, parmesan, mozzarella, ragu and bechamel. Top with a layer of pasta, then cover with the remaining bechamel. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and mozzarella. Tuck the edges of the pasta into the baking dish with a knife.
- Place the lasagna on a baking sheet to catch any drips; bake until bubbly and golden, about 40 minutes. Let rest 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
MARIO BATALI'S FETTUCCINE BOLOGNESE
A hearty, stick to the ribs entree from TV chef Mario Batali. I substitute ground beef for the harder to find veal. Taken from Bon Appetit.
Provided by yooper
Categories Sauces
Time 1h45m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat.
- Add onions, celery and garlic an saute until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
- Increase heat to high; add veal, pork, pancetta or bacon and saute until meat is brown, breaking up meat with the back of a fork, about 10 minutes.
- Add tomatoes with their juices, 1 3/4 cups chicken broth, milk and thyme.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 1 hour 15 minutes, breaking up tomatoes with the back of a spoon, adding more chicken broth if mixture is too thick and stirring occasionally.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cook fettuccine in large pot of boiling water just until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally.
- Drain.
- Add fettuccine to pot with ragu and toss to blend.
- Transfer to large bowl.
- Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan.
- Serve, passing remaining Parmesan seperately.
Tips:
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to evenly distribute heat and prevent scorching.
- Choose high-quality ingredients, especially the tomatoes and the meat. Fresh, ripe tomatoes will give the sauce a rich, sweet flavor, and good quality ground beef or pork will add depth and richness.
- Brown the meat in batches to prevent overcrowding and ensure even cooking. Overcrowding can cause the meat to steam rather than brown, resulting in a less flavorful sauce.
- Add a splash of red wine to deglaze the pan after browning the meat. This will help to dissolve any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and add a layer of flavor to the sauce.
- Use a combination of whole and crushed tomatoes to give the sauce a balanced texture. Whole tomatoes provide chunks of tomato flavor, while crushed tomatoes help to thicken the sauce.
- Simmer the sauce for at least 2 hours, or longer if you have time. This will allow the flavors to meld and develop.
- Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and dried oregano to taste. You can also add other herbs and spices, such as basil, thyme, or rosemary, to your liking.
- Serve the sauce over your favorite pasta, such as spaghetti, tagliatelle, or penne.
Conclusion:
Mario Batali's Ragu Bolognese is a classic Italian dish that is sure to please everyone at the table. With its rich, flavorful sauce and tender meat, this dish is perfect for a special occasion or a casual weeknight dinner. Follow these tips to make the best Ragu Bolognese possible, and you'll be sure to impress your friends and family with your culinary skills.
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