Bolognese white ragù

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Ingredients

An alternative to the more widely-known Bolognese ragù, and also served with egg pasta like tagliatelle. Note the two recipes proceed along almost-identical lines.

• 500 millilitres chicken or vegetable stock,
• 400 grams minced pork,
• 400 grams minced veal,
• 50 grams diced pancetta,
• 50 millilitres single cream,
• Three chicken livers,
• One stick of celery,
• One small carrot,
• One small white onion,
• One knob of butter or lard,
• One small glass dry white wine,
• One bay leaf and a bouquet of sweet herbs: oregano, sage, for example,
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Method

Trim the chicken livers of any sinew, finely dice, then set aside. Dice the celery, carrot, and onion, and fry gently in the animal fat for ten minutes until all moisture is driven off and the vegetables start to colour. Add the diced pancetta and continue to fry gently until also coloured, then gradually add the minced meats, until cooked through. Add the chicken liver and allow to cook out for a minute more. Add the white wine and cook for a minute to burn off the alcohol, then add the stock and herbs, and gently simmer for two hours — at least — and until greatly reduced. Finish by removing the bay leaf and bouquet of herbs, adjusting seasoning, and stirring in the single cream.