Ragu Alla Napoletana Recipes

NEAPOLITAN MEAT SAUCE - RAGU NAPOLETANO ALLA ANNA GALASSO

Steps:

• Dry the round steak with paper towels, and rub it on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle the meat with the parsley and cheese.
• Roll the meat up like a jellyroll, and tie it in several places with kitchen string.
• Salt and pepper the spare ribs. Set the meats aside.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large heavy duty pot. Over medium heat, brown the round steak and spare ribs in the oil on all sides. This will take about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the onion, celery and carrot and continue cooking until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and basil. Cook 1 minute.
• Combine the tomatoes and wine in a bowl. Slowly pour the mixture over the meat.
• Stir in the tablespoon of salt, a grinding of pepper, and the sugar.
• Cover the pot, bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer, and cook the sauce until the meat is fork tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove the meat to a dish. Cover the dish, and refrigerate the meat to make it easier to cut when cold.
• When ready to use, transfer the round steak to a cutting board, and cut the strings from the round steak with a kitchen scissors.
• Cut into neat slices about 1/4-1/2" thick.
• Add to the sauce. Cut the meat off the bones of the spareribs and add the pieces to the sauce.
• Use the sauce for pasta dishes both boiled and baked.

RAGU ALLA NAPOLETANA

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add meat and and seal well all over (you may need to do this in batches). Season with a salt.
• Than add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until softened. Add whole garlic cloves and cook more for 1 minute.
• Increase the heat, stir in the diluted tomato paste and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Pour red wine and cook until the volume of the liquid is reduced by one-third.
• Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and stir well.
• Bring to the boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook very gently for about 1 1/2 hours, until the sauce is thick and silky.
• Stir from time to time, checking that there is enough moisture; if necessary add a little more water (If there isn't enough water the meat may not cook well, so best to be generous. You can always reduce the meat sauce later).
• After 1 1/2 hour, add basil leaves and let it cook more for 30 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and serve with pasta as suggested above.

RAGU ALLA NAPOLETANA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine pine nuts, raisins and garlic. Lay meat slices on a work surface, and season them lightly on both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle pine-nut and raisin mixture on one side of the slices. Roll slices up and secure them with a toothpick or tie them with kitchen string. Place them in a large, deep saute pan and add oil, onion and 4 cups of water. Place over medium heat and simmer, uncovered, until water has evaporated, about 1 1/4 hours.
• Continue cooking, turning meat rolls with tongs, until meat is lightly browned on all sides. Add wine to pan and cook until evaporated. Drain tomatoes, reserving juice, and coarsely chop tomatoes. Add tomatoes and reserved juice to pan, and bring to a simmer. Cook until sauce is very thick, about 2 hours.
• Remove meat from pan with tongs, remove toothpicks or cut string, and place meat on a serving platter. Season sauce with salt and pepper, and pour it over ziti or penne. Serve with meat and grated Parmesan cheese on the side.

FETTUCCINE WITH NEAPOLITAN MEAT SAUCE (FETTUCCINE CON RAGU ALLA NAPOLETANA)

Steps:

• 1. In a heavy 5-quart pot over moderately high heat, heat the oil until hot but not smoking. Season the beef with salt and sear it, turning occasionally, until deep brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add the chile, garlic, and onion, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to tenderize, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, wine, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil.
• 2. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the meat is very tender, 3 to 4 hours. The finished sauce should be a deep, rich red color. (The sauce is ready to combine with the fettuccine now, or you can cool and store it in the refrigerator up to 4 days.)
• 3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fettuccine and stir to submerge and separate it. Cook according to the package directions until al dente.
• 4. Drain the fettuccine, shaking well to remove any excess water, and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and toss together until the pasta is evenly coated. Serve at once with the braised meat as desired.

RAGU ALLA NAPOLETANA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine pine nuts, raisins and garlic. Lay meat slices on a work surface, and season them lightly on both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle pine nut and raisin mixture on 1 side of the slices. Roll slices up and secure them with a toothpick or tie them with kitchen string. Place them in a large, deep saute pan and add oil, onion and 4 cups of water. Place over medium heat and simmer, uncovered, until water has evaporated, about 1 1/4 hours.
• Continue cooking, turning meat rolls with tongs, until meat is lightly browned on all sides. Add wine to pan and cook until evaporated. Drain tomatoes, reserving juice, and coarsely chop tomatoes. Add tomatoes, reserved juice and tomato paste to pan and bring to a simmer. Cook until sauce is very thick, about 2 hours.
• Remove meat from pan with tongs, remove toothpicks or cut string, and place meat on a serving platter. Season sauce with salt and pepper, and pour it over ziti or penne. Serve with meat and grated Parmesan on the side.