pasta

Watching my usual favourite recipe channels on YouTube; I was suggested a video “Why Restaurant Ragu Tastes So Much Better”.  I usually avoid clickbaity type titles, but with Bolognese/Ragu been one of my favourite dishes I curiously clicked on it.

And wow.

It was a complete eyeopener with new ingredients and techniques that I had to try.

Racing down to the store next day – I brought the ingredients that I was missing and cooked it that afternoon.

And it was going so well – every key point I was tasting and been blown away on how rich and meaty the ragu was tasting.

Until adding the “Gastrique.” 

It was a vinegar and sugar slurry that you add right at the end.  I should have trusted my instinct and used just a little touch; but my wife goes, “Follow the recipe and add it all in.”

The Gastrique overpowered the dish.  It was still tasty; but it was so much better before I added it in.

But I learnt so much and I will never look at spag bol the same again.

Original recipe

My version

This is my working version that I have modified from the original version. I will hone in the ingredient and steps on subsequent attempts.

Bold is something I have added from the original recipe
Strikethrough is something I have changed from the original recipe

Ingredients

• 1 kg beef mince (50% shin, 50% chuck)
• 400 g pork belly, diced
• 100 g pancetta, diced
• 200 g onion, finely diced
• 150 g carrots, finely diced
• 150 g celery, finely diced
• 100 g Mushrooms, finely diced
• 1–2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Neutral oil
• 80 g tomato purée one can of crushed tomatoes reduced down to a purée
• 400 g passata
• 200 ml red wine
• 150 ml Whole milk (added in two stages)
• ~500 ml chicken or beef stock
• 1 Parmesan rind
• 2 bay leaves
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

To finish

• Cold butter
• Extra milk
• Gastrique: 100 g balsamic vinegar + 50 g sugar 50 g balsamic vinegar + 25 g sugar

Method

1. On low heat, add olive oil and pancetta to a heavy pot and slowly render the fat.
   
2. Add onion, carrot, mushroom and celery with a pinch of salt.
   
3. Sweat gently until soft, pale and sweet, no colour.
4. Grate in the garlic for the final 1–2 minutes, then remove the soffrito and set aside.
5. Return the pot to high heat with a little neutral oil.
6. Add the beef mince, breaking it up and cooking hot to drive off moisture.
7. Once dry, lower the heat slightly and caramelise the beef slowly until deeply browned, scraping the fond regularly.
8. Add the pork belly and gently warm through — no heavy browning.
   
9. Stir in the tomato purée and cook until it darkens and caramelises.
10. Lower the heat and add the first portion of milk. Let it fully absorb into the meat.
11. Deglaze with red wine and reduce by about half, scraping the pan clean.
12. Return the soffrito to the pot, then add passata, stock, Parmesan rind, bay leaves and a pinch of nutmeg.
13. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook in a low oven at 120°C for 4½ hours, stirring occasionally.
    
14. While cooking, make a gastrique by boiling the vinegar and sugar briefly until lightly thickened.
15. Once cooked, remove the bay leaves and Parmesan rind.
16. Finish with a splash of milk, cold butter for gloss, and the gastrique added gradually to balance acidity.
17. Season to taste.