Sicilian ragu

Ingredients serves / 8– 10

425g Italian sausages

325g pork spare ribs

425g pork belly, cut into 3cm cubes

425g stewing beef, cut into 8cm chunks

5 tbsp extra- virgin olive oil

2 white or brown onions, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

2 bay leaves

1 sprig of rosemary

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

300ml ( 1 ¼ cups) white or red wine

4 tbsp tomato puree

1.2kg tinned whole tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 litre ( 4 ¼ cups) chicken, meat or vegetable stock, or hot water

6 potatoes ( approx 1kg), peeled and cut in half

200g ( 1⅓ cups) peas, frozen or fresh ( optional)

1. Brown the meat in batches in the oil in a large casserole dish over a medium heat, setting it aside in a large bowl when done.

2. Add the onions to the pan in the remaining oil with the garlic, bay leaves, rosemary and seasoning and cook over a gentle heat to soften. It should take 7– 10 minutes. Add the meat back into the pan with the wine and bring to the boil. Allow to reduce for a few minutes.

3. Add the tomato puree, tomatoes and stock and stir to combine. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to cook slowly for 4– 5 hours. The time will depend upon the cut of meat and the size. You need to cook it until the meat falls easily from the bones.

4. Add the potatoes after around 4 hours and continue to cook until they are cooked through. Add the peas, if using, towards the end of the cooking time. Cook for 15 minutes if using frozen peas and 30 minutes if using fresh ones. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.

5. Eat the stew as it is or ladle off most of the sauce and serve it with pasta, followed by the meat and potatoes as a main course served with the purple sprouting broccoli.

This is an edited extract from The Long And The Short Of Pasta by Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi, published by Hardie Grant Books, RRP $ 34.99 and available in stores nationally. Photography: © Helen Cathcart