Posted on February 23, 2009 - by napavalleybath

Ragu (Meat Sauce)

I’m always prepared now before I go to my Italian grocer, Elizabetta….today I proclaimed I was going to make Ragu….she was excited.  Before I could tell her what I needed, she grabbed a bag and filled it with one of each of the vegetables that I would need and at the end, added a nutmeg…she must have seen my expression as she immediately did sign language to show me to grate the nut into the sauce…ah…and Elizabetta’s secret….”balance your ingredients”….”a lot of people make ragu but not many make GOOD ragu….make sure your ingredients are balanced!”  Why do I have a feeling that Elizabetta makes a GREAT ragu…..

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 lb. tomato sauce (see our recipe!)
• 1 carrot – finely chopped
• 1 celery – finely chopped
• 1 onion – finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic – finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon parsley…yep….finely chopped!
• 1/2 cup red wine for the recipe and several for yourself!
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• A real nutmeg!
• Freshly Ground Pepper
• Organic Grey Sea Salt
• St. Helena Olive Oil Co. Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

Observations

Remember Elizabetta…make sure your ingredients are balanced!  I do this by sight and taste…trust your own instincts…I have to say this recipe trumped my old one….I could eat it alone by the spoonful!  But…you may want to add pasta and some parmesan cheese!

You are still energized…..take it and create our lasagna!!!