Simple Ragu with Beef and Pork

Sometimes the best sauces (and people!) are the quiet ones. This ragu was built to complement parmatieddi, a hand-rolled pasta shaped to honor Palm Sunday.

The base consists of only humble ingredients: onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. I used both ground beef and pork and sautéed them separately so that I also could make a vegetarian version with the same sauce. The the rest of the flavor? Just salt, tomato, olive oil, and time. Simplicity at its finest.

This is the kind of cooking that doesn't need a recipe. With practice and repetition, you get comfortable in your own kitchen and you start to trust your instincts more than your measuring cups. You use what you have, and you feel the quantities. You taste as you go and stop when it tastes like something you'd want to share with yourself or someone you love.

Simple Ragu with Beef and Pork (Serves 4–6)

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus more as needed)
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
• 1 carrot, minced
• 1 celery stalk, minced
• 2 (28 oz/800g) cans whole peeled tomatoes, pureed
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Sauté the vegetables: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt, and cook gently until soft and fragrant, about 5–7 minutes, not allowing them to brown. Add the carrot and celery and cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the tomatoes: Stir in the pureed tomatoes. Season with salt. Let the sauce simmer uncovered for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Keep the heat low and let it reduce gradually.

3. Brown the meat: In a separate skillet, sauté the ground beef and pork in a bit of olive oil until browned and fully cooked. Season lightly with salt.

4. Combine and simmer: Add the cooked meat to the tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Let it simmer together for another hour, uncovered, until the flavors deepen and the sauce thickens.

5. Serve: Toss with pasta and top with grated Parmesan.

Notes

• Vegetarian version: Replace the meat with plant-based ground meat. Sauté it separately and add it to the same tomato base.

• Looking for the pasta this was made to go with? Make Parmatieddi to serve with this ragu.