Brian's neapolitan ragù (a.k.a. Ragù napoletano)

Preparation: 20 mins
Cooking: 2 ½ hours
    
Difficulty: Easy
    
Suitable for freezing

This neapolitan ragù recipe has been provided by Brian from Manchester UK. The recipe has been in his family since the 60s. I am very happy to have published it because it's good, straightforward (no messy ingredients in it, which is a good thing when cooking Italian) and it's a valid complement  to the other ragù recipes I have previously published in this website. The ragù sauces from south Italy are different from those prepared in the north of the country because in the south the main liquid in which we cook the ragù is represented by tomato and its juices (passata di pomodoro), while in the north people use stock. Tomatoes, together with the adding of few herbs, like basil or rosemary, give the ragù a decisive strong mediterranean character. These kind of sauces require a type of pasta that hold the sauce, this is why I used big conchiglie (shells). The recipe has been prepared according to Brian's instructions and I also took the usual photographs, so now we can share it with all of you.

Many thanks to Brian for his support to the Italyum website.

Ingredients:

• 500 g (1.1 lb) Minced beef
• 100 g (3 ½ oz) Smoked bacon (pancetta affumicata)
• 75 ml (3 fl oz) Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Onion (finely chopped)
• 3 Cloves of garlic
• 250 ml (slightly less than ½ pint)
• 4x400 g (4x14 oz) Tins of plum tomatoes
• 1 Small rosemary sprig
• 3 Bay leaves (optional)
• Salt for seasoning

Note: as an option, you can try adding some basil leaves instead of rosemay and bay leaves.

Directions:

Put the olive oil into the pan and heat it on gentle heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and sweat off for about 10 minutes or until the onion has softened.

About 5 minutes after you added the onion, add the garlic.

When the onion is soft, bring the heat to HIGH and add all the meat. Bacon should be minced like the minced beef or finely chopped to give it a minced appearance.

Stir and brown the meat off.

Browning will take few minutes.

Then add the red wine.

Give a good stir and let it cook for about 5 minutes.

Then, add the rosemary.

Give it a good stir.

When browned, add the tinned tomatoes and keep cooking on high heat until the pan contents reach the simmering point.

Meanwhile, give it a good stir and when the pan contents starts simmering, turn the heat down to LOW.

Season with some salt, but do not exagerate because the final seasoning will be done at later stage, just 30 minutes before the end.

Now, simmer for 2 ½ hours, until the sauce is reduced. Remember to check the seasoning towards the end and add some salt according to taste.

Note: if cooking the sauce for the first time and you wish to try with bay leaves, I suggest using a second pan, splitting the sauce and adding bay leaves to one pot for the last half hour. Then, you can compare the two versions and choose your favourite.

Just before you ragù is ready, boil your pasta (al dente) and when the pasta is ready, you can top it with your ragù.

Use large pasta that can easily retain the sauce. You can top it with grated Pecorino or Parmesam cheese.

Buon appetito!

Alternatively, freeze your ragù and use it at your convenience. 

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