Here's my take on the popular Italian Bolognese sauce. I make it quite nontraditional so I just refer to it as 'meat ragout' in order not to tease authenticity advocates. (Who knows how pissed I would be if someone served me borsch with sweet potatoes instead of regular ones…)
Instead of beef I take lamb as it has more robust and pronounced flavor that is not easily overpowered by tomatoes. I also add ricotta, which softens the acidity of the sauce and gives it a nice creamy texture, and arugula to balance out the richness with its fresh peppery bite.
Those of you who think they don't like lamb, I highly recommend trying lamb in this dish. I guarantee that after that you'll definitely give the lamb another chance.
You will need:
- 1 lb ground lamb
- A small carrot or ½ of a medium one, cut into small cubes
- ½ medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 small celery stalk (optional), cut the same size as carrots
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- A splash of red wine (about 1/8 cup)
- 2.5-3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, ¼ tsp
- 1 rosemary sprig (about 3 inches)
- 3 Tbsp oil for sautéing (a mix of canola and olive oils)
- About 2-3 Tbsp whole milk ricotta
- A handful of arugula
- Pecorino Romano, in a chunk or finely grated
Heat oil in a pot or a spacious pan and add onions, carrots and celery. Sauté, stirring often, until the onions become translucent and start to get lightly browned. Add meat and cook, breaking it with a spatula or a wooden spoon, until it's all crumbled and not raw any more. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and let it caramelize slightly together with the meat and vegetables.
Pour in wine and let it simmer down a bit. Add hot water to thin the sauce to the desired consistency. Season it with salt and black pepper and add a bay leaf and a whole rosemary twig. Cover the pot with a lid and braise the sauce on a low heat for about an hour to hour and fifteen minutes. Stir in ricotta and cook for another several minutes.
Meanwhile, start cooking pasta as indicated on a package. I prefer using rigatoni or other large tubular pasta like elicoidali or even penne. This ragout is also great on top of potato stuffed ravioli.
When the pasta is ready, drain it and toss with arugula and the lamb ragout. Divide the pasta between the plates and grate some pecorino on top. Serve right away and enjoy with some bold, full-bodied red wine.
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