A variation on the classic Ragù alla Bolognese, ragù bianco is a noble classic of Italian Cuisine that everyone should experience making and sharing with friends.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
8 oz pancetta, diced
75 grams of carrots, coarsely minced
75 grams of red onion, minced
75 grams of celery, minced
100 ml of dry white wine
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
4-5 cups of quality (homemade) beef stock, nothing from a can or cardboard, please.
2 springs of fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon of cornstarch or flour
Preparation:
Have the beef stock simmering in a pot.
In a large non-stick skillet, saute the carrots, onions, and celery in the olive oil for 2-3 minutes.
Add the ground beef and the pancetta, and sear it stirring continuously until it’s thoroughly browned.
Add the wine, and continue stirring, until the wine has evaporated completely.
Add the beef stock and cook for 3 hours, covered. Check every 30 minutes or so, adding more stock if needed.
Add salt to taste, but it should be pretty much OK as is since the beef stock will give the ragù enough flavor.
In the end, cook uncovered to make sure the ragù bianco is creamy and not too runny.
Enjoy over good quality pasta, preferably fresh pasta, or filled pasta like tortelloni or agnollotti
1 cup (227 gr) cold butter cut into 1/4″ (7 mm) slices.
1.5 cups (300 gr) sugar.
2 eggs.
3 cups (420 gr) flour.
3/4 teaspoon baking soda.
3/4 teaspoon salt.
1 cup (135 gr) chocolate chips >=72% cacao, semi-sweet.
2 cups (220 gr) walnut pieces or macadamia nut pieces.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 410 F (210 C).
Mix the butter and sugar for about 3-5 minutes till creamy.
Add the eggs, and mix thoroughly.
Fold in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
Fold in the chocolate chips and the nuts.
Divide the dough into 12 pieces, and shape the pieces into irregular round cookies about 1″ thick, do not compress the dough but leave it formed but relatively loose.
Put the dough in the refrigerator for about 10-20 minutes or overnight.
Bake them for 9-11 minutes, and let them rest for 9-11 minutes.
Soak the mushrooms into very warm water for 20 min. remove the mushrooms from the water and filter the water. Add bouillon cube to the water and bring to a simmer. This is your stock.
In a wide non-stick saucepan saute the onion in the olive oil, add the rice, stir for 1 minute; add 1 generous ladle of stock, the mushrooms and the rucola. Continue stirring gently and adding stock as needed for 15-16 minutes.
After that, fold in gently the parmigiano, cover the pot and let it sit for at least 5 monutes, better if 10 mintues but it all depends on how hungry you are.
Ragù alla Bolognese, not to be confused with Ragú ™, and commonly called Bolognese in the US, is the queen of Italian cuisine. Originally from the Bologna region, it is a staple in Italy’s home cooking and restaurants alike.
Most everyone has their own recipe and variation, but historically back in 17 October 1982, the original recipe was registered at Bologna’s Chamber of Commerce by the Italian Academy of Cuisine, and that is indeed the absolute best recipe there is for flavor, texture and . . . labor of love. Highly recommended as an exercise in culinary achievements and a walk down memory lane of fabulous meals experienced on an Italian vacation.
This is the original recipe – as registered in 1982 – translated into English:
Ingredients (serves 6):
1 lb ground beef 8 oz pancetta, diced 75 grams of carrots, minced 75 grams of red onion, minced 75 grams of celery, minced 1 lb of tomatoes, crushed 100 ml of dry white wine 200 ml of whole milk 3 tbl extra virgin olive oil 4-5 cups of quality (homemade) beef stock, nothing from a can or cardboard, please.
Preparation:
Have the beef stock simmering in a pot.
In a large non-stick skillet, saute the pancetta for 2-3 minutes until the fat is starting to become translucent (do not overcook it).
Add the olive oil, wait a few seconds until it’s hot, and then add the mixture of onion, celery, and carrots, med-low heat for 5-6 minutes (do not overcook it).
Add the ground beef, and sear it stirring continuously, until it’s thoroughly cooked and browned.
Add the wine, and continue stirring until the wine has evaporated completely.
Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer (on low), stirring frequently – and adding the beef stock as needed 1-2 tablespoons at a time – for 1.5 hours.
Add the milk, and continue cooking at a slow simmer for an additional 30 minutes, still adding beef stock as needed.
You should have plenty of beef stock left, do not use the entire 4-5 cups as listed above.
Add salt to taste, but it should be pretty much OK as is since the beef stock will give the ragù enough flavor.
Now you have a nice batch of ragù, you can serve it on top of virtually any type of pasta you wish, in Bologna the quintessential use is on tagliatelle, but Maltagliati or pappardelle would do; best if fresh pasta.
Let the ragù rest in the fridge for 24-48 hours for best results. Reheat gently before serving.
If it is to be used on top of dry pasta, add 100 grams of cream (whipping cream) at the end of the cooking cycle or before reheating.
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 bay leaf
1 pound dried green split peas, picked over and rinsed
8 cups vegetable broth
1 cup milk
Hot Sauce
Preperation:
In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil.
Add the onions. Season with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper. Saute for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic, bay leaf, and split peas and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the broth and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes, until the peas are tender.
Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
Add the milk and, using a hand-held immersion blender, process until smooth.
Cubed bread crumbs
1 lb sweet Italian sausage (remove casing)
8 oz chicken livers
1 medium red onion chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
4 sage leaves chopped
1 tsp rosemary chopped
1/4 cup parsley chopped
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 large eggs
3/4 pot of vegetable broth
Preparation:
Saute sausages in skillet for about 5 minutes until no longer pink. Break up into smaller pieces.
Add chicken livers to skillet and saute until until no longer pink. Stir and break up into smaller pieces.
In a large bowl, mix bread crumbs, sausage, and chicken livers.
In same skillet with juices from the meat, saute onions, celery, herbs and parsley.
Add cooked vegetables and herbs to the bowl with bread crumbs. Mix all ingredients together and add raisins.
In a small skillet whisk two eggs and transfer everything to large stock pot. Add vegetable broth to coat bread crumbs.
Cook everything in covered stock pot over low heat for 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons of oil (preferably mustard)
1 1/2 tablespoon very finely diced or grated ginger
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 cup of cranberries
4 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups of water
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup of slivered apricots
Preparation:
Heat the oil and add in the ginger and saute lightly for a minutes.
Add in the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop. Add in the nigella seeds.
Add in the cranberries and the bay leaves and the water and sugar and the red pepper flakes.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes until the cranberries pop and soften, you will actually hear the cranberries pop! My kids have a lot of fun with this.
Stir in the apricots and cook for another 5 minutes.
Cool and serve. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
