Rigatoni, Ragu, Ricotta (+Pizza Seasoning!)
One of my earliest cooking memories is Mum showing me how to make a Bolognese. She still makes a banging one to this day. As I’ve grown up I’ve slowly developed my own go-to version…rich, tomatoey, beefy ragu which I love with rigatoni.
Over the years of making I’ve adapted this based on what I have in, what beef I can get at what price and what pasta I already have in. This one was great, so I thought I’d share with you all…
One thing that doesn’t change is my love and enjoyment of what I call a ‘tasty topping’ - and for this ragu it HAS to be ricotta, olive oil, pizza seasoning and some finely grated Italian hard cheese. It is so damn good.
Ingredients:
For the ragu:
500g of quality beef steak, minced (I did use wagyu for this cos I had it in the freezer)
1 large onion
4-6 cloves of garlic, depending on their size
2 sticks of celery
1-2 carrots, again depending on their size
6 chestnut mushrooms
Olive oil (the better, the better)
Fresh thyme
Red wine
Beef stock (I use Kallo organic beef stock cubes)
Double concentrate tomato puree
x1 tin pulped/crushed tomatoes (good quality - I like Ciroi Polpa)
A little sugar, salt and pepper to taste
A splash of balsamic vinegar
To serve:
Your pasta, cooked in salted water, drained and oiled
Fresh basil
Finely grated Italian hard cheese (I use Grana Padano cos it’s cheap)
Ricotta
Pizza Seasoning
Olive Oil
Method:
Finely chop your onion, celery and carrot. The holy trinity. Yes, we’re making a soffritto. When you think it’s fine enough, chop it again and once more for luck. I mandolin mine thinly then use a big chefs knife to really get everything super fine.
In a large pan, heat a glug of olive oil to medium temp and add the minced onion, celery and carrot. Keep this slowly cooking while you:
Chop your mushrooms and garlic. Again; finely, then even finer! Put them to one side. Don’t add to the hot pan yet.
Keep the soffritto slowly cooking…reduce the heat and add more olive oil (or butter) if you need to. The aim is low and slow. Give it at least 20-30 mins.
In a separate large pan, heat some oil to cook your minced beef. I get a potato masher and go to town with it as it’s cooking, because I don’t like my meat to look ‘wormy’
Once the beef is browning nicely, add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms begin to soften and change colour a bit.
In the soffritto pan - add a little sugar, a little balsamic and your thyme leaves. Now add the beef, mushrooms and garlic to the soffritto pan.
Let it cook for a few minutes, then add tomato puree by eye plus the canned tomatoes and the red wine (about a glass’ worth depending on taste)
Ultimately you want to let the sauce now slowly, on a low heat cook for about 20-30 minutes. During this cooking time I will crumble in a beef stock cube directly into the pan. Taste the sauce as it cooks, add more sugar/balsamic/salt/pepper as required.
Once the sauce has reduced and tastes delicious - fold it into your warm cooked pasta. Portion it up and finish with a blob of ricotta, drizzle of oil, torn and crushed basil leaves, a liberal sprinkle of pizza seasoning, and of course…more cheese!
