Spicy Sausage Ragu Nachos With Pickled Onions Recipes

SWEET AND SPICY SAUSAGE RAGU NACHOS WITH PICKLED ONIONS

Steps:

• For the ragu: Put the garlic, celery, onions and fennel in a food processor and puree to a coarse paste.
• Coat a wide, deep pan with olive oil. Add the pureed veggies, season with salt and bring to medium-high heat. Cook the veggies until all the liquid has evaporated and they begin to stick to the pan - you want to brown the crap out of these guys until crud starts to form on the bottom of the pan. Stir occasionally to scrape up the brown bits, and then let the crud form again. Be patient here and don't rush it, this is where the big flavor develops; it will take up to 30 minutes.
• When the lovely brown crud has formed and been scraped down a couple of times, add the tomato paste, stirring to combine. Let it start to brown a little and continue stirring for 2 to 3 minutes. There's not much liquid at this point to keep things from burning, so be careful and move fast. Add the wine, stir to combine and scrape up any remaining brown bits. Cook until about half the wine has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add both the spicy and sweet sausage and, using a spoon to break it up, cook until the meat is brown (this is where another round of big brown flavors is formed, so take your time), 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add enough water to the pan to cover the meat by about 1/2-inch. Stir to combine well, and then add the bay leaves and thyme bundle. Taste, season with salt and taste again; it's by no means done, but it should taste good. Bring the sauce to a boil (BTB) and reduce to a simmer (RTS). Continue cooking, checking occasionally, for 3 hours, tasting, seasoning and adding more water as needed.
• For the pickled onions: In a medium bowl, combine the red wine vinegar with 1/2 cup cold tap water. Stir in the sugar, salt and hot sauce.
• Add the sliced onions and let sit for at least 1 hour. To assemble: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. On a large platter, spread out a layer of tortilla chips. Spoon a layer of the ragu over the chips. Cover with a layer of Parmigianino and fontina cheeses. Place in the oven until the cheese melts, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, sprinkle a layer of arugula over the top and finish with a large dollop of mascarpone cheese. A gooey cheesy treat. Delish.

SPICY SAUSAGE RAGU WITH RED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Heat 1 T oil in a 12-inch skillet over med-high heat until just smoking.
• Add sausage and brown well, breaking up large pieces with wooden spoon, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.
• Pour off all but 2 T fat left in skillet.
• Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and red pepper flakes to fat left in skillet and cook over med-high heat until onions are softened and lightly browned, 8-10 minutes.
• Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.
• Stir crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce into slow cooker.
• Cover and cook until sauce is deeply flavored, 9-11 hours on LOW for 5-7 hours on HIGH.
• Let sauce settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon.
• Microwave bell peppers with remaining tablespoon oil in bowl, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Stir softened bell peppers into sauce and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Before serving, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

GARGANELLI WITH SAUSAGE AND MUSHROOM RAGU

Steps:

• For the ragu: To the bowl of a food processor, add the mushroom stems, celery, carrot, onion and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped but not pureed.
• Heat a large Dutch oven with a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped veggies with a pinch of salt and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add the sliced mushrooms and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the sausage and break up with a spoon, making sure to push down to the bottom of the pan so it can nicely brown. Brown the sausage for 5 minutes.
• Add the wine and reduce by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Add half of the chicken stock (2 cups), the thyme bundle, bay leaves and kosher salt to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the sauce has reduced by half, 10 minutes. Add the remaining chicken stock and cook until the sauce is thickened and holds its shape, 15 to 20 minutes more.
• For the pasta: Mound the flour on a clean, dry work surface. Make a hole (this is also called a well) in the center of the flour pile that is about 8 inches wide (bigger is definitely better here). Crack all of the eggs and the yolk into the hole and add the olive oil, salt and water.
• Using a fork beat the eggs together with the olive oil, water and salt. Then begin to incorporate the flour into the egg mixture with the fork; be careful not to break the sides of the well or the egg mixture will run all over your board and you will have a big mess! Also, don't worry about the lumps. When enough flour has been incorporated into the egg mixture that it will not run all over the place when the sides of the well are broken, begin to use your hands to really get everything well combined. If the mixture is tight and dry, wet your hands and begin kneading with wet hands. When the mixture has really come together to a homogeneous dough, THEN you can start kneading.
• When kneading it is VERY important to put your body weight into it, get on top of the dough to really stretch it and not to tear the dough. Using the heels of your palms, roll the dough to create a very smooooooth, supple pasta dough. When done the dough should look VERY smooth and feel almost velvety. Kneading will usually take from 8 to 10 minutes for an experienced kneader and 10 to 15 for an inexperienced kneader. Put your body weight into it, you need to knead! This is where the perfect, toothsome texture of your pasta is formed. Get in there and have fun!
• When the pasta has been kneaded to the perfect consistency, wrap it in plastic and let rest for at least 1 hour. If using immediately after 1 hour, do not refrigerate.
• Divide the dough in half, then cut off a piece about the size of a tennis ball. (Keep the remaining dough wrapped.) Using your hands, flatten the dough and sprinkle with a little flour. Pass the dough through the pasta machine on the widest setting (#1), then fold each end towards the center like an envelope. Dust with more flour, then pass through the machine again. Repeat this process 3 to 4 times, folding the dough and flouring each time. Decrease the width to #2 and pass through the machine. Fold again and dust with flour. Continue to #3 and repeat, just folding and flouring once until you've reached #5.
• Sprinkle a sheet tray with semolina flour and set aside. Trim the edges of the dough sheet to make a large rectangle. Divide it in half by cutting down the center, then cut the dough into roughly 2-by-1 1/2-inch rectangles. Roll each rectangle around a wooden garganelli dowel to create a cylinder with a triangular tip on either end, and use a little water to secure the seam. Set onto the sheet tray with semolina flour and repeat the rolling, cutting and shaping process with the remaining fresh pasta dough.
• To serve: Set up a large pot of boiling water and generously season with kosher salt. It should be as salty as the sea. Add the garganelli and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. (Work in batches if you like.)
• Meanwhile, add the desired amount of sauce to a saute pan and place over medium heat to warm. Add the cooked garganelli directly from boiling water into the ragu along with a ladle of pasta water. Toss to combine until all the noodles are nicely coated. Add the parmesan cheese and a big drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Toss to combine. Plate, then top with more parmesan and a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese.