White Ragu (Ragu Bianco)

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup onion (cut into small cubes)
• 0.5 cup carrot (cut into small cubes)
• 0.5 cup celery (cut into small cubes)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste)
• 0.5 lb Italian sausage (casing removed)
• 0.5 lb ground beef
• 1 tsp cornstarch (to help create a creamy sauce)
• 0.5 cup white wine (for deglazing)
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1.5 cup beef stock
• 12 oz tagliatelle or pappardelle (hearty egg noodles)
• Parmesan cheese (grated, for topping)

Steps

1. 1

   Cut the onion, carrot, and celery into small, uniform cubes to create a soffritto base.

2. 2

   Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Toss in the diced onion, carrot, and celery.

3. 3

   Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and fragrant.

4. 4

   Add the sausage and ground beef to the pot. Sprinkle in the cornstarch, which will help emulsify the fats and liquids into a creamy sauce later.

5. 5

   Cook the meat, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is thoroughly browned to develop deep flavor.

6. 6

   Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pot.

7. 7

   Add the fresh rosemary sprig and bay leaves to the pot.

8. 8

   Pour in the beef stock. Cover the pot with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 45 minutes.

9. 9

   While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tagliatelle or pappardelle according to package instructions until al dente.

10. 10

    Add the cooked pasta directly into the ragu sauce. Give it a good mix to ensure the noodles are well-coated.

11. 11

    Plate the pasta and top with a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese before serving.

Notes

The cornstarch is a specific technique used by the author to achieve a creamy consistency without using dairy or tomatoes. For the best results, use a wide egg noodle like pappardelle which holds the heavy meat sauce well.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• ragu
• dinner
• meat-sauce
• Italian-cuisine
• stovetop