I first ate this dish in Tuscany, so I adapted it from the restaurant version. My guests rave about it; it takes a little more work than your typical marinara sauce but the vegetables lend great flavor. In typical Tuscany fashion, the pasta is sauced much more lightly than we do in America, hence the lighter color. The word “ragu” means sauce in Italian.
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, peeled, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried, crushed rosemary)
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 28 ounce can whole plum tomatoes in juice
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt (Additional salt and pepper to taste)
1 pound penne pasta, cooked
Freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
[1] Heat olive oil in heavy, large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until vegetables are tender, but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and brown thoroughly; the more brown the deeper the flavor.
[2] Add garlic, rosemary, red wine, tomatoes, bay leaves, sugar, salt, and pepper and let simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes. Remove lid and let simmer until juices are reduced to serving consistency. Serve sauce over cooked pasta. Top with grated cheese.
Serves 6 to 8.
