True ragu is a magnificent pasta sauce, a slow-simmered blend of meat, tomatoes, and milk. The real thing takes hours, for the meat must become tender and contribute its silkiness to the sauce, the tomatoes must dissolve, and the milk must pull the whole thing together. But a reasonable approximation of ragu can be produced using ground beef or pork or, even better, prepared Italian sausage.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put the oil in a 10-inch skillet and turn the heat to medium; a minute later, add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage in bits and turn the heat to medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is nicely browned, 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 2
Add the milk and tomato paste, along with some salt and pepper; stir to blend and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until thick but not dry. Keep it warm if necessary and, if it becomes too thick, add a little more milk, water, or chicken stock.
Step 3
Meanwhile, cook the pasta until tender but not mushy. Drain it and toss with the sauce and about half the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve, passing the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano
