This is a tribute to the late Antonio Carluccio who passed away this week. He was known as the Godfather of Italian cooking and is a great loss to the culinary world. The ingredients are simple but the secret it in the low and slow simmering. For a change I have not changed the recipe out of respect to the great man although personally I would probably add some passata or tinned tomatoes.60g (2 oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
INGREDIENTS
For the ragu:
55g (1 ¾ oz) butter
55g (1 ¾ oz) minced prosciutto far or pancetta
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
100g (3 ½ oz) minced lean veal or beef
100g (3 ½ oz) minced lean pork
1 glass of dry red wine
A little beef or chicken stock
3 tbsp tomato paste
Salt and pepper
METHOD
To make the ragu, heat the butter in a large pan, add the prosciutto fat or pancetta, carrot, celery and onion and fry gently for about 10 minutes. Add the minced meats and stir with a wooden spoon to break them up into smaller chunks.
Cook for about 15 minutes to brown the meat, then add the wine and bubble for a few minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate little. Stir in a little stock to prevent the mixture sticking to the pan. Stir in the tomato paste and dilute with a few tablespoons of stock to give a sauce like consistency. Leave to simmer for 1 ½ hours, adding more stock if the mixture becomes dry. At the end of the cooking time, add a little more stock to obtain a smooth consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook the tagliatelle in boiling salted water until al dente, then drain and mix with the sauce. Serve with the Parmesan cheese.
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