Spaghetti Ragu

Ragù is an Italian term for a meat based sauce. Etymologically the word derives from the French ragoût, a noun derived from ragoûter (to revive the taste). -wikipedia


Ragu[ra-GOO, rah-GOO]
A staple of northern Italy's Bologna, ragu is a meat sauce that is typically served with pasta. Though different than the French RAGOUT, both are derived from the verb ragoûter , which means "to stimulate the appetite." Ragu usually contains beef, tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots, white wine and seasonings. - Epicurious


A ragu, when made properly, resembles a fine balance of carnivorous depths and a rounded tomato based sauce. This combination, when cooked right, is sticky, tasty and rich - just what you'd expect of a pasta sauce.

Some recipes call for ground mice, but a true ragu, is where the meat used has been slow cooked (preferably on the bone) until it is falling apart. This tender meat is then flaked into a slow cooked tomato sauce.

Ingredients:

Beef - any bone meat or even chuck stewing meat (lamb or pork could also be used)
A few cloves of chopped garlic
A couple Bay leaves
x2 Carrots - finely chopped
x2 Celery sticks - finely chopped
x1 onion
x1/2 red, yellow and green pepper - finely chopped
x1 cup white wine (red can be used)
Salt and pepper
Mushrooms - optional (only a few)
Small piece of either bacon, pancetta or chorizo
x1 tin tomatoes
x1 small tin tomato paste
Dash of balsamic
Spaghetti (or any other pasta)
Pinch of sugar

Place meat on baking tray and drizzle with olive oil, some wine and some fresh herbs(rosemary, thyme or oregano) then cover with foil and place in a low heat oven for a good few hours. The longer you cook, the more tender the meat will be. (+/- 5 hours) Remove and let cool.

Fry onion, peppers, carrots, celery and garlic until soft. Add a dash of balsamic and tin of tomato with a pinch of sugar, cook on a medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and bay leaves (optional - mushrooms, finely chopped).

Flake or cut meat until it is in fine pieces. Place meat into tomato sauce pot and add remaining wine and salt and pepper. Cook for a few hours, the last of which without the lid for concentration and stickiness. Serve with hot fresh pasta of your choice.