Bolognese;a ragu by another name

I have rarely met anyone who doesn't love a good ragu/meat sauce (unless one does not indulge in meat). Traditionally from Bologna, this meat sauce is usually used to dress a broad flat pasta like tagliatelle or fettucine or to make lasgne. Today, all over the world, other than in Italy, it is most popular with spaghetti.

As a young girl, I learnt how to make my first ragu from my ballet teacher! Today she cannot recall having ever made this dish but I certainly do. I loved the flavours and was very proud that I could cook! My family and friends encouraged me to make this dish many times as we all enjoyed it.

Today, after decades of cooking this famed sauce (of which there are thousands of recipes), I have honed my skills and am glad to say that it is still frequently requested and enjoyed by my family and friends. The secret ingredient to my ragu are sprigs of fresh rosemary. I started adding rosemary to my ragu after tasting a wonderful rabbit ragu in a tiny restaurant on top of a hill in Tuscany. That was my moment of epiphany. I tasted and smelled something that just lit me up like a lightbulb! Bing! (Since then,one of the first plants I put into every garden of mine is a rosemary).

I also believe in slow cooking to meld the flavours together and to give a rich, smooth flavoursome sauce. A soffritto, of finely chopped onions,carrot and celery is a must.

To make MY Bolognese or meat ragu :

For the soffritto:        2 ribs of celery
                                           1 medium carrot
                                           1 medium onion
Olive oil
1 kg of minced beef or a mixture of beef and pork
One large can of canned tomatoes
about 2 to 3 Tbs Tomato puree
and of course the secret ingredient - 3 large sprigs of rosemary

Make a soffritto by chopping finely the two ribs of celery, the carrot and the onion.
Sweat this in about two Tbs of olive oil.
When it becomes beautifully aromatic, add the minced meat  break it up and brown quickly. 
Add the can of tomatoes Help it along by mashing them slightly with a wooden spoon.
Add the secret ingredient,stir to incorporate, then cover and let it come to a boil. ( I love using glass covers so that I can look in without having to lift it and let the built up heat out).
Lower heat to a simmer and let it happily simmer away for about the next 3hrs! Do give it a stir after each hour and to check that it's not drying out.
After about three hours, you'll notice that the ingredients have all melded together and looks quite smooth and no longer like all separate bits.
Turn up the heat to thicken the sauce (I like my sauce on the dry side so that after I'm done there is no wetness on my plate).Stir frequently to avoid burning.
Season with the tomato puree,a little sugar (this brings out the sweet sourness of the tomatoes) and salt. Remember that the sauce will be used to dress pasta so might make it slightly more flavourful.
(Adjust the seasoning to your taste).

Serve up with your favourite pasta, some freshly grated parmesan and perhaps a dash of chilli flakes 

​ENJOY! 
ps. I usually make up a huge pot of ragu and keep some for making lasagne, or a delicious penne casserole. More of that to come later!