A Really Good Ragu

Adapted from The Kitchen Diaries by Nigel Slater (Fourth Estate, 2005)

Sauces 16 ounces of pasta

It is especially good on rigatoni, mezzi rigatoni, or shells such as Faella Tofe, because the sauce snuggles into the crevices.

Please try to find canned tomatoes from Italy and Italian pasta cut with bronze dies and slow-dried. The difference is noticeable. The pasta is rough, not smooth, and sauces don't slip off. Excellent online sources for these are BuonItalia and Gustiamo.

I often serve this on a plate with a vegetable instead of a salad. I also recommend opening a particularly delicious bottle of red wine to use in the sauce and drink with dinner.

4 tablespoons butter
About 3 ounces pancetta, cut into ¼-inch cubes
1 small to medium onion, chopped
2 plump garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, peeled and chopped
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped the same size as the onion, carrot, and celery
1 bay leaf (I use Morton & Bassett—do not leave this out)
½ pound ground beef—preferably slightly coarse
1 (400 g) can Italian whole peeled tomatoes, passed through a food mill
¼ cup red wine (good enough to drink with dinner)
¾ cup stock (I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base)
Freshly grated nutmeg — a little, but do not leave it out
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup heavy cream (or less if you like — be parsimonious)
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, to taste

Melt the butter in a wide sauté pan, then cook the pancetta without letting it color — about 3–5 minutes — to render some of the fat. Stir in the onion and garlic, then the carrot and celery, then the mushrooms. Cook over medium heat, stirring often.

Turn up the heat slightly and add the ground beef, breaking it up. Cook for about 3 minutes without stirring so the meat begins to brown, then stir again.

Add the tomatoes, wine, stock, bay leaf, nutmeg, and a little salt and pepper. Let the sauce bubble gently for a few minutes, then reduce the heat until it is just gently moving.

Partially cover the pan and cook for about an hour, stirring occasionally and checking to make sure it doesn’t dry out.

Pour in the heavy cream slowly, using a light hand. Stir and cook for another 15–20 minutes, keeping in mind that you don’t want the sauce to become thick.

Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Cook the pasta, transfer it to the sauce with a little pasta water if needed, and cook together briefly. Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Note

For years I made the classic Bolognese sauce from Marcella Hazan, which I believe is the real thing. This ragù, adapted from The Kitchen Diaries by Nigel Slater, is different — more saucy, with deeper tomato flavor and plenty of umami.