Cooking Recipe Ragu Alla Bolognese
Recipe Ingredients
Directions
This takes a fair amount of time to make, but it freezes very well,
so make a large batch. This is enough for 2 1/2-to-3 pounds of pasta.
PUT THE PORCINI in a small bowl. Pour boiling water over them and let
them sit for 30 minutes. Drain them, rinse carefully, chop coarsely
and rinse carefully again. With a food processor or meat grinder,
finely chop first the veal and beef, then the pancetta, onion, carrot
and celery. Saute the pancetta and minced vegetables in the butter
and oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole for 2 minutes over medium heat.
Turn heat to very low, cover and continue cooking 30 minutes,
stirring occasionally. Uncover the pot and raise heat to medium high.
Add the beef, veal, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring
constantly, until the meats just begin to lose their raw red color.
Then pour on the wine and cook until it is entirely evaporated. Set a
food mill with the medium blade over the pot and mill in the
tomatoes. Stir everything together and simmer, covered for 40
minutes. If possible, complete preparation to this point several
hours in advance, or even the night before you plan to use the sauce.
Take it off the stove and let it cool if not serving immediately.
Transfer to container. Cover and refrigerate. The sauce may also be
made to this point and frozen. Shortly before serving time, bring the
sauce slowly to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream
and serve immediately over freshly cooked pasta, passing parmigiano
and a pepper mill. To serve ragu in smaller quantities, heat about
1/2 cup of sauce per person and stir in 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons cream
per serving.