Pasta with meat ragout
4 servings
45 minutes
Pasta with meat ragù is the heart of Italian cuisine, a dish where comfort meets sophistication. Its roots trace back to Tuscan and Roman traditions, where slowly braised meat transforms into a rich, aromatic sauce. Beef infused with notes of red wine, bacon, and ham gains depth of flavor while tomato puree adds a velvety tang. The thick, rich sauce perfectly envelops al dente pasta, creating a harmony of textures. This dish carries the warmth of home and is served at family dinners or in cozy trattorias in Italy. Topped with grated cheese, it reveals its complexity: spicy, rich with a hint of tomato freshness. It pairs perfectly with a glass of dry red wine that highlights the depth of meat and spice flavors.
1
Cut the ham and bacon into thin strips and coat them in parsley. Make several deep holes in the piece of meat with a thin knife, and use the same knife to stuff the meat with ham and bacon. Tie the meat with kitchen twine.
- Ham: 50 g
- Bacon: 50 g
- Chopped parsley: 1 tablespoon
- Beef: 800 g
2
Melt fat or margarine in a pot with oil. Sear the meat on all sides, then add chopped fat, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, reduce the heat to minimum, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Margarine: 50 g
- Olive oil: 4 tablespoons
- Beef: 800 g
- Salo (cured pork fat): 50 g
- Onion: 1 piece
- Garlic: 1 clove
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
3
Add red wine gradually, waiting for it to evaporate each time. After about an hour, when the wine is finished, pour tomato paste into the pot. Stir and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Dry red wine: 250 ml
- Tomato paste: 100 g
4
Gradually, like wine, add tomato puree. By the end of cooking, a dark thick sauce sufficient for 300 grams of pasta should form. If there is not enough liquid during stewing, you can add boiling water gradually.
- Tomato puree: 200 g
- Beef: 800 g
5
Boil any pasta al dente, mix it with the resulting sauce, and sprinkle with grated cheese if desired.
- Beef: 800 g
