Clay's Kitchen : Ricette Italiane (Italian Recipes)

Ricette Italiane (Italian Recipes)

© Copyright 1995-2023, Clay Irving <clay@panix.com>, Manhattan Beach, CA USA

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Ragu del Macellaio (Butcher's Sauce)

Recipe from: Angela's Italian Organic Oregano
Servings: 6 to 8

All over Italy stews and sauces are made from mixtures of a variety of meats such as pork, veal, chicken, rabbit, lamb, or a selection of game. However, there is no need to go to desperate lengths to acquire small amounts of a variety of meats for this sauce. The dish is just as good, possibly even better, made with pork, beet veal, or lamb alone.

1 1arge onion halved and thinly sliced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ pound lean veal or pork
½ pound lean lamb
1 cup dry red or white wine
1 pound very ripe red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, mixed with 2 tablespoons of tomato purée; or 2 cups canned tomatoes, chopped (one 28 ounce can)
1 small dried hot red chili pepper or ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
flakes, if desired
5 or 6 whole cloves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 bay leaves

In a saucepan large enough to hold all the ingredients, gently sauté the onion slices in the olive oil over medium-low heat until the onion is very soft and starts to turn golden. While the onion is cooking, use kitchen shears to snip the meat into very small pieces. Add the snips of meat to the onion, raising the heat slightly and cook, stirring continually until the meat is brown on all sides and the liquid it gives off has evaporated. Add about a third of the wine, stirring to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, and cook slowly; when the wine has almost fully evaporated, add another third, stirring repeatedly, and then the final third. By the time the final addition of wine has almost completely evaporated, the meat should be quite soft. Add the chopped tomatoes, chili pepper, cloves and a little salt and stir to mix well. Lower the heat so that the sauce bubbles gently, add the bay leaves and several grinds of black pepper and cover the pot. Leave on gentle heat for 2 to 2½ hours, from time to time adding, if necessary, a little boiling water to keep the sauce from becoming too thick. When the sauce is done, taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove and discard the bay leaves and cloves.


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