Ragù Abruzzese
Preparing “un buon ragù della domenica” is a weekly ritual for millions of Italian home cooks, and probably millions of non-Italians, too. I count myself among them, and yet, a little confession: I don’t make ragù every Sunday. I feel slightly guilty about this, but not enough to change my errant ways. Sometimes I just want roast chicken, or (in warmer temps) grilled chops, or vegetable quiche and a glass of wine.
But more often than not I do want ragù and all that comes with it—the fine chopping of vegetables, the spattery browning of the meat, the hours of simmering, the pooling fat, the tomato-splashed stove top, the perfume, the ritual.
Here is my favorite “Sunday sauce,” from Italy’s Abruzzo region, where my family is from. It features cuts of beef, pork sausage, and lamb. Plus a generous pinch of hot pepper because we Abruzzesi love our peperoncino. If I’m really going all out, I also make a batch of tiny (chickpea-size) veal meatballs to add to the sauce. But I’ve omitted that step here because it’s rather time-consuming. You’ll find that version in my book The Glorious Pasta of Italy.
The traditional pasta to serve with this ragù is spaghetti alla chitarra, Abruzzo’s signature square-cut noodle made using a wooden frame strung with wires. The Abruzzesi also serve ragù with potato gnocchi (a heavenly combination). And, in deep winter, they make “polenta alla spianatoia” the heartiest of dishes in which you pour a pot of hot polenta out onto a (clean) table or wooden board and then spoon the ragù, along with the braised meat, on top. Everyone stakes out their territory and a most communal meal ensues.
But look, you don’t have to make homemade pasta, or gnocchi, or ruin your dining room table by pouring polenta down the center. Packaged pasta works just as well. Three of my favorite brands are Rustichella d’Abruzzo, La Molisana, and Faella. Use spaghetti—both Rustichella and La Molisana produce a square-cut chitarra noodle—or a short sturdy shape like penne.
Makes about 1 1/2 quarts, but can be doubled if you want to make a lot and freeze some for later.
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons sunflower (or vegetable) oil
8 ounces (227 g) meaty beef short ribs (2 to 3), or boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 3 or 4 large pieces
8 ounces (227 g) boneless lamb shoulder, cut into bite-size pieces
8 ounces (227 g) pork sausages (2 links), each cut crosswise into 2 or 3 pieces
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 peperoncino, minced; or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine
2 (24-ounce/680 g) bottles tomato passata, or 2 (28-ounce/790 g) cans whole tomatoes, passed through a food mill
2 bay leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Warm the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Season the pieces of beef with a little salt and pepper and add them to the pot. Brown for 3 to 4 minutes, until nicely seared; then turn to brown the other side, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer them to a deep plate or bowl. Brown the sausages in the same way, turning them until nicely colored. Transfer them to the plate. Scatter the pieces of lamb in the pot and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown them for about 5 minutes total, stirring every so often for even browning. Transfer them to the plate with the rest of the meat.
2. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the extra-virgin olive oil to the pot if needed—if your pieces of meat are well-marbled, you may have enough rendered fat in the pot. Stir in the carrot, celery, and onion, and cook, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are shiny and softened. Add the peperoncino and cook for another minute or so. Pour in the wine, raise the heat to medium-high, and let it bubble briefly. Pour in the tomatoes. Return all the meat to the pot and add the bay leaves. Lower the heat to medium-low or low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover partially and let the ragù cook, stirring it and turning the larger pieces of meat over now and then, for about 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender and the sauce is thick and velvety. Check from time to time and add a little water if the sauce thickens too much before the meat is done. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
3. Remove the meat from the sauce and set it aside to serve as a second course; or, shred/chop it up and return it to the pot for a heartier ragù.
