Saranak
Senior Member
Good morning everyone,
I hope you are all having a restful Sunday and have plans for wonderful food. Napulitano Ragu, just thinking about it makes me hungry. There are as many versions as there are cooks, indeed although this recipe has been passed down to me and was originally my great grandmothers; the version I make is different to our next door neighbours at home in Naples. There was plenty of light hearted arguments over who made the best. The thing is there really is no hard and fast rule. Use the best ingredients you can, follow the basics and never rush it. A traditional Napulitano Ragu is not a dish that you could put on the table everyday it is far too labour intensive I cook my Ragu for hours. A Napulitano Ragu is served on a Sunday, if I make it for my family I start at around 7 am. I serve with pappardelle but you could serve with just about anything. My version also uses Cotechino this should be available at your local Italian store or Deli however you can use pretty much any Italian sausage that you like.
As I explained in my first post I have a large glass jar that has Garlic soaking in Balsamic for 3 - 4 months and I always use that in a Napulitano Ragu. I make my version with a lot of Garlic, if you are not a great fan then you can reduce the amount.
There are a few pieces of equipment that I certainly would recommend buying if you do not already have them. A Mouli is a great add on to any kitchen that makes a lot of Italian food; also a very large heavy bottomed pot.
Wine, I always use a good Italian white wine. I also use Tropea onions in my version however, any sweet red onion will work.
This recipe will serve eight happily.
Meats,
1.5 kilo beef joint trim most of the fat as you do not want the Ragu to be greasy.
750 g of Cotechino.
Very meaty pork ribs, you are looking for three per person.
1 medium sized rabbit.
Thin steak this is used to cover the Cotechino.
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4 bulbs of garlic or the equivalent if you have some soaking in Balsamic.
2 -3 Sticks of Celery.
4 Good size carrots.
3 medium Tropea onions or any sweet red onions
bunch of fresh Oregano.
handful of Basil leaves.
tomato puree
1.5 kilos San Marzano tomatoes. Tinned if fresh are unavailable.
very good olive oil.
bottle of good white wine.
salt and black pepper.
1 litre freshly made beef stock.
The traditional way to serve is the sauce over the pasta as Primo and the meats as Secundo. A good polenta goes well and I always put a large plate of Focaccia (I make my own) on the table to mop up, you can of course sprinkle a little Parmesan however my family tend to prefer the Ragu as it comes, if you still have room then a nice lemon sorbet goes well as desert however, I tend to offer a cheese board with Taleggio Bergamasco for my children a very good gorgonzola for my husband and a good Asiago for myself. As for wine I would opt for a bold red such as a Barolo a Valpolicella can be fine but its subtleties sometimes become lost.
This incredibly rich sauce will keep for a good week in the fridge in a sealed box and can be used as a base for a number of other dishes and I assure you it makes for an amazing Pizza base sauce.
After all that work, eat, have a glass of wine and take the applause with grace.
As I say it is a lot of work but the result is more than worth it. I have four children three boys and a girl and they have adored it since they were very young. My husband Ray swears that it is the best he has ever had! (But he would say that I suppose)
I hope that you try this and enjoy. Please if there is anything that you are unsure of then please do not hesitate to ask me. Napulitano cuisine tends to be like the people, bold and vibrant with big flavours.
There is another version that uses white wine, cream and loads of parmesan, leeks and capers. I had this once on a visit home and it works very well with sword fish, if there would be an interest I will post that one also.
Grazie a tutti.
Sarana x
I hope you are all having a restful Sunday and have plans for wonderful food. Napulitano Ragu, just thinking about it makes me hungry. There are as many versions as there are cooks, indeed although this recipe has been passed down to me and was originally my great grandmothers; the version I make is different to our next door neighbours at home in Naples. There was plenty of light hearted arguments over who made the best. The thing is there really is no hard and fast rule. Use the best ingredients you can, follow the basics and never rush it. A traditional Napulitano Ragu is not a dish that you could put on the table everyday it is far too labour intensive I cook my Ragu for hours. A Napulitano Ragu is served on a Sunday, if I make it for my family I start at around 7 am. I serve with pappardelle but you could serve with just about anything. My version also uses Cotechino this should be available at your local Italian store or Deli however you can use pretty much any Italian sausage that you like.
As I explained in my first post I have a large glass jar that has Garlic soaking in Balsamic for 3 - 4 months and I always use that in a Napulitano Ragu. I make my version with a lot of Garlic, if you are not a great fan then you can reduce the amount.
There are a few pieces of equipment that I certainly would recommend buying if you do not already have them. A Mouli is a great add on to any kitchen that makes a lot of Italian food; also a very large heavy bottomed pot.
Wine, I always use a good Italian white wine. I also use Tropea onions in my version however, any sweet red onion will work.
This recipe will serve eight happily.
Meats,
1.5 kilo beef joint trim most of the fat as you do not want the Ragu to be greasy.
750 g of Cotechino.
Very meaty pork ribs, you are looking for three per person.
1 medium sized rabbit.
Thin steak this is used to cover the Cotechino.
-----------
4 bulbs of garlic or the equivalent if you have some soaking in Balsamic.
2 -3 Sticks of Celery.
4 Good size carrots.
3 medium Tropea onions or any sweet red onions
bunch of fresh Oregano.
handful of Basil leaves.
tomato puree
1.5 kilos San Marzano tomatoes. Tinned if fresh are unavailable.
very good olive oil.
bottle of good white wine.
salt and black pepper.
1 litre freshly made beef stock.
- In a large pan add olive oil, chop the celery, carrots and slice the onions. Put in the pan over a medium heat and stir continually, you want to soften the vegetables not add colour. When the onions have become transparent remove from the heat.
- In a large frying pan sear and seal the beef, set aside. Joint the rabbit, sear and seal once again set aside. Split the pork ribs.
- Boil the tomatoes cool and peel, pass them through the Mouli a few at a time, the Mouli removes the seeds and gently purees the flesh. You are looking for a very smooth paste. Put the large pan back on a medium heat; wait until the vegetables are starting to gently bubble then add the tomato paste that you have made.
- Season well with salt and pepper, add the Oregano and Basil. Turn the heat right down, At this point add the soaked Garlic, if you have none finely chop and puree the Garlic on the back of a knife with a little salt.
- Cook very slowly for 1 1/2 hours stirring all the time; do not let anything stick to the bottom of the pan. Add a good half of the wine (You can use red if you prefer) and again cook on a very low heat for another hour.
- Once the base sauce has become smooth add the beef; do not add either the rabbit or the pork ribs at this stage cover the pan with a lid. Cook again very slowly for about 1 1/2 hours then add the rabbit and the pork ribs cover again. Stir occasionally. Prop open the lid of the pan a little to allow steam to escape.
- Peel the skin off the Cotechino cover with the thin steak and tie. Put the Cotechino in the pan add most the stock and again cover. Now this is important, although you want to stir the Ragu occasionally do not over do it, this is when the flavours really start to develop, you want the sauce to reduce by half however, this has to be done slowly to intensify the flavours.
- Cook until the meat is starting to fall off the bones of the rabbit and ribs remove form the heat. Remove the meats and set aside, stir into the sauce 4 - 5 desert spoons of the tomato puree.
- Put back on a very low heat and simmer again (One small bubble breaking the surface every now and then is the right heat). If the sauce is becoming too thick add a little more beef stock.
- Take a large oven dish and pour in the sauce. Add the rabbit and ribs, slice the beef into good size slabs, untie the Cotechino and slice. (The Cotechino adds another level of flavour and makes the sauce very succulent).
- Cover the dish with foil and cook in the oven for at least 1 1/2 hours, by this point the beef will have the consistency of butter.
- Cook the pappardelle or whatever pasta you wish to use.
The traditional way to serve is the sauce over the pasta as Primo and the meats as Secundo. A good polenta goes well and I always put a large plate of Focaccia (I make my own) on the table to mop up, you can of course sprinkle a little Parmesan however my family tend to prefer the Ragu as it comes, if you still have room then a nice lemon sorbet goes well as desert however, I tend to offer a cheese board with Taleggio Bergamasco for my children a very good gorgonzola for my husband and a good Asiago for myself. As for wine I would opt for a bold red such as a Barolo a Valpolicella can be fine but its subtleties sometimes become lost.
This incredibly rich sauce will keep for a good week in the fridge in a sealed box and can be used as a base for a number of other dishes and I assure you it makes for an amazing Pizza base sauce.
After all that work, eat, have a glass of wine and take the applause with grace.
As I say it is a lot of work but the result is more than worth it. I have four children three boys and a girl and they have adored it since they were very young. My husband Ray swears that it is the best he has ever had! (But he would say that I suppose)
I hope that you try this and enjoy. Please if there is anything that you are unsure of then please do not hesitate to ask me. Napulitano cuisine tends to be like the people, bold and vibrant with big flavours.
There is another version that uses white wine, cream and loads of parmesan, leeks and capers. I had this once on a visit home and it works very well with sword fish, if there would be an interest I will post that one also.
Grazie a tutti.
Sarana x
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