I use a soffritto to add depth of flavor to this rich and delicious meat ragu.
Soffritto is a mixture of slowly cooked carrots, onions and celery. In French cooking you might know it as a mirepoix. Other ingredients can be added such as garlic and herbs. But the base is always onions, carrots and celery.
The vegetables are chopped into very small pieces and cooked in olive oil over low heat for anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour, or more. To impart the richest taste, make sure the vegetables are finely chopped and that they caramelize slightly.
Serves 4-6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 ½-3 hours
Ingredients:
For the Soffritto2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion (finely diced)
1/2 cup carrot (finely diced)
1/3 cup celery (finely diced)
For the Ragù
4 ounces ground pork
4 ounces ground Italian sausage
½ pound ground beef
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup beef broth
1 cup crushed tomatoes
Fine sea salt (to taste)
Black pepper (freshly ground to taste)
Instructions:
Make the SoffrittoHeat olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat, add onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until softened, reduced, and the onions are slightly softened for about 10 minutes. Remove soffritto to plate.
Make the Ragù
In the same large skillet, combine the ground pork, Italian sausage and beef and cook on medium heat until done. Pour off excess grease from meat. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and mix well.
Add the wine and stir until most of the alcohol aroma evaporates, about 1 minute, stirring to loosen and dissolve any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the beef broth and crushed tomatoes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cover the skillet and lower the heat to low. Let the sauce just barely simmer for a minimum of 1 hour, preferably 2 or 3 hours. Check it occasionally and if it seems like it's too dry, you can add additional beef broth.
Tips and Suggestions:
Make a double batch and freeze for a night you are not in the mood to cook; freezes very well
Serve over favorite pasta
Use for meat sauce in lasagna
Use for stuffing bell peppers
Serve over toasty bread topped with Mozzerrela
Add up to 1 cup half and half cream to make a Bolognese