Hello My Friends,

While I was still married to my last Wife, the Italian, she and I would often laugh disparagingly at the television commercials for “Ragù spaghetti sauce” in a jar. You know, "That's Italian!". She knew, and she taught me, that real Italian Ragù is nothing like that pasty red stuff. It’s a thick, hearty pasta sauce, made with at least one kind of meat, that’s simmered for hours until the meat is tender and the sauce is rich and savory.

That having been said, Ragù styles differ widely from region to region throughout Italy. Each one is an expression of place, of the crops grown and the animals raised there, of the farmers who cultivate the land, and of the people who transform its bounty into food.

There are also as many recipes for each region’s Ragùs as there are cooks in Italy. The only hard-and-fast rule I know for making a good Ragù is this: Be patient. It takes time to properly cook Ragù.

Over the next few days and or maybe even weeks, and through the recipes that follow, we’ll take a delicious journey across Italy, from Veneto in the north to Sicily in the south. Come along for the ride. It may take longer than opening a jar, but I can definitely promise you, the results will be so much better.

Regione: Veneto

In northern Italy, Ragùs tend to be less about tomatoes and more about the meat and aromatic herbs that flavor them. Venetian Ragù, for example, is made from the meat of the wild ducks that populate the lagoons and is perfumed with native bay leaf and fresh sage. Some versions of this Ragù call for tomatoes, but others use broth and no tomatoes at all. Some use duck stock and the liver and giblets, while others (like the recipe below) get their deep flavor from duck legs and thighs and dry red wine.

Venetian Duck Ragù is typically served with fat, tubular buckwheat noodles called bigoli, but it’s also quite delicious with whole-wheat fettuccine, spaghetti, or pappardelle, as shown here.

Pappardelle with Venetian Duck Ragu

1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
4 skin-on, bone-in duck legs and thighs
Kosher or fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium celery stalks, finely chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
1 fresh bay leaf or 1/2 dried
1 cup dry Italian red wine, such as Valpolicella
1 28-oz. can chopped tomatoes
1/2 to 1 cup lower-salt chicken broth
1 lb. fresh pappardelle, preferably whole-wheat, or fettucine or spaghetti
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving (optional)

Make the ragu

Heat the oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the duck legs and thighs with salt and pepper and arrange them in the pot, skin side down. Sear until the skin is browned and crisp, about 7 minutes. Using tongs, turn the legs over and brown the other sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the duck to a deep platter. Pour off all but about 1 Tbs. of the rendered fat and discard or save for another use.

Reduce the heat to medium low. Put the celery, garlic, onion, carrot, sage, and bay leaf in the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, 7 to 8 minutes.

Pour in the wine and increase the heat to high. Cook at a lively simmer for 1 minute and then reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice and 1/2 cup of the broth. Return the duck to the pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low or low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and simmer until the meat is fork-tender, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Remove the duck from the pot and set aside until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, skim the excess fat from the top of the sauce with a large spoon. If the sauce seems thin, continue simmering until flavorful and thickened to a saucy consistency.

Discard the duck skin and shred the meat. Add the shredded meat to the sauce, along with the other 1/2 cup of broth if the sauce seems too thick. Let the sauce simmer gently for 15 minutes; discard the garlic and bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta and serve

When ready to serve, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta until al dente—you want it to still have some bite because it will continue to cook a bit while you’re tossing it with the ragù. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the pot and toss it with some of the ragù, adding a little cooking water if it seems dry. Serve the pasta with more ragù spooned over the top, garnished with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, if you like. Recipe makes about 1 Quart of Ragu, or enough for 4-6 servings.

Make Ahead Tips

The ragù can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat gently before tossing with pasta.

Medium bodied white wines are rich and fruity, and they make excellent choices for pairing with this recipe. Perhaps a Da Vinci Pinot Grigio or maybe even a St Michael Eppan Pinot Grigio.

Have A Wonderful Week My Friends,

Phil

Hi Roger,

Sorry about the teeth, but just think, when the soreness finally goes away, you'll feel so much better! Perhaps tonight's choice might be easier for you.

Regione: Emilia-Romagna

In historically wealthy Emilia-Romagna, Ragù is made from a combination of ground meats, such a beef, veal, and pork and enriched with milk and cream so this mght be a little easier for you to eat. Ragù alla Bolognese, which originated in Bologna, in the heart of the region, is a perfectly delicious example. In the recipe below, mortadella, a smoked beef and pork sausage, brings even more rich flavor to the pot. The Ragù is spiked with freshly grated nutmeg, a beloved spice from the region, and only a small amount of tomato is added.

Fettucine with Ragu alla Bolognese

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 medium celery stalks, finely chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb. ground veal
1 cup dry white wine, such as Soave Classico

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher or fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup whole milk
3 Tbs. tomato paste
1-1/2 cups lower-salt beef broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 oz. thinly sliced mortadella, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips (1/2 cup)
1 lb. regular or spinach fettucine
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, for serving (optional)

Make the ragu

Heat the oil and butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot over medium heat until the butter melts and begins to sizzle. Stir in the carrots, celery, garlic, onion, and parsley. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft and light golden, about 10 minutes. Add the beef, pork, and veal and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the clumps. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pot until the meat is deep brown and crumbly but still tender and not dry, 60 to 90 minutes—if the meat is browning too quickly, reduce the heat to low.

Raise the heat to high, stir in the wine and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan until it is almost evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and season the meat with the nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. salt, and several grinds of pepper. Stir in the milk and cook, stirring frequently, until most of it is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.

Dilute the tomato paste in a small bowl with a splash of the broth and pour it into the sauce. Mix well and then add the remaining broth. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and cook the sauce at a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until it is thick and fragrant and the vegetables have more or less dissolved, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Stir in the cream and mortadella and simmer gently until completely heated through, about 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta and serve

Tip: Resist the urge to rush the meat through browning—it takes 60 to 90 minutes to do this step properly, but your patience will be rewarded with a rich, deeply flavored sauce.

When ready to serve, bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente—you want it to still have some bite because it will continue to cook a bit while you’re tossing it with the ragù. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and then drain the pasta. Return it to the pot and toss it with some of the ragù, adding a little cooking water if it seems dry. Serve the pasta with more ragù spooned over the top, garnished with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, if you like. This recipe also makes about 1 Quart of Ragu, or enough for 4-6 servings.

Make Ahead Tips

The ragù can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat it gently before tossing it with pasta.

Variations

While fresh spinach fettucine is the classic pasta paring for this sauce, you can also subsitute regular fettucine or tagliatelle if you choose.

Hope Your Week's Terrific,

Phil

Quote:
Hi Phil,

You always have a way of making me hungry. Your recipes look so wonderful...I'll have to have some people over and actually break down and cook. These look & sound really tasty.

Thanks for sharing your great recipes with us!

Take care,

Cheryl