North Italian Meat Sauce (Ragu Bolognese)

Description

This recipe comes from Bologna, Italy. One unusual characteristic of this sauce is that there is no garlic in it–but there is a hint of ground nutmeg. Serve over hot cooked pasta.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 4 ounces pancetta, diced
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 cup chopped carrot
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ pound lean ground beef
  • 12 ounces lean ground pork
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ½ pound chicken liver
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 pinch ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet
  2. melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add pancetta
  3. onion
  4. carrot
  5. and celery and cook
  6. stirring often
  7. for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a heavy large saucepan.
  8. In same skillet
  9. heat olive oil. Cook ground beef and pork over medium heat
  10. stirring to break up any lumps
  11. until browned. Pour in the wine
  12. increase the heat and boil briskly
  13. stirring constantly
  14. until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer ground meat mixture to the saucepan with the pancetta and vegetables. Set skillet aside.
  15. Stir the beef stock and tomato paste into the saucepan. Bring sauce to a boil over high heat
  16. then reduce the heat and simmer
  17. partially covered
  18. for 45 minutes
  19. stirring occasionally.
  20. Meanwhile
  21. melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat in the original skillet. Add chicken livers and saute for 3 to 4 minutes
  22. or until firm and lightly browned. Remove livers from skillet and dice. Set aside and add to sauce 10 minutes before it is done. A few minutes before serving
  23. stir in the cream and let it heat through. Season sauce with nutmeg
  24. salt
  25. and pepper to taste.

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Servings: 28

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