Bolognese ragù: the traditional recipe
the true meaning of Ragù
The word ragù probably comes from the French ragout and in Italy it indicates a meat-based sauce (but also fish-based) for pasta, but it is also used for timbales.
It is obtained through the prolonged cooking of various ingredients, with meat being the main one, and it is widespread throughout Italy in various versions and interpretations, the most important being the Bolognese ragù and the Neapolitan one.
It is, however, the first, the one alla Bolognese, the most widespread and known in the world, often used in non-Italian culinary culture also to dress dishes other than pasta or in very imaginative pairings, but also far from the reference tradition.
Ragu Ingredients and Preparation
Ingredients
beef chuck gr. 300
bacon gr. 150
yellow carrot gr. 50
celery rib gr. 50
onion gr. 50
tomato sauce tablespoons 5
or concentrated stock gr. 20
white or red wine glasses 1/2
whole milk glasses 1 ( + 1 liter of milk if you want to add cream during cooking)
Necessary utensils:
earthenware pan diameter about 20 cm.
wooden spoon
curved knife
Procedure:
the diced and chopped bacon is fried in the pan; the vegetables, also finely chopped with a mezzaluna knife, are added and allowed to sweat gently;
add the minced meat and cook, stirring, until it starts to sizzle;
put half a glass of wine and the tomato, diluted with a little broth, to simmer for about 2 hours, adding the milk alternately and adjusting the seasoning with salt and black pepper; optional but recommended is the addition, at the end of cooking, of the cream made from 1 liter of whole milk.
