ragùs

Ragùs are a family of meat-based pasta sauces in Italian cuisine. They are typically simmered slowly to create a thick, savory sauce that clings to pasta. A soffritto of onion, carrot and celery is usually started in oil or fat, followed by browned ground or chopped meat. Liquids such as white wine, stock, and sometimes milk or cream are added. Tomatoes are used in some ragùs but not always as the dominant ingredient; many regional versions balance meat, dairy and acidity to achieve a mellow sauce.

Regional varieties: The most famous form is ragù alla Bolognese from Emilia-Romagna, which traditionally emphasizes ground meat with a small amount of tomato or none, pancetta or prosciutto, wine, and milk, and is commonly served with tagliatelle or used in lasagne alla Bolognese. Ragù napoletano from Campania is typically fuller-tavored with tomatoes and sometimes whole cuts of meat that are simmered for hours, and is often served with sturdier pasta such as ziti or rigatoni. Other local ragùs may rely more on tomatoes or on different meats, including pork, veal, sausage, or game.

Preparation and serving: Common technique involves browning the meat, sweating the soffritto, deglazing with wine, adding the liquid and any tomatoes or tomato paste, and simmering slowly for several hours. Milk or cream may be added to soften acidity in some versions. Ragùs are most often served with pasta shapes that can hold the sauce, such as tagliatelle, pappardelle, or rigatoni; they are also used in layered dishes such as lasagne.