RAGU ALLA BOLOGNESE
Makes: about 6 cups (1.5 L), enough for 2 lbs (907 g) pasta
1 cup (250 ml) chicken broth 1 cup (250 ml) beef broth
8 tsp (40 ml) unflavored gelatin 1 onion, chopped coarse
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped coarse
1 celery rib, chopped coarse
4 oz (114 g) pancetta, chopped 4 oz (114 g) mortadella, chopped 6 oz (170 g) chicken livers, trimmed
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
12 oz (340 g) lean ground beef 12 oz (340 g) ground veal
12 oz (340 g) ground pork
3 tbsp (45 ml) minced fresh sage
6-oz (170-ml) can tomato paste 2 cups (500 ml) dry red wine Salt and pepper
1. Combine chicken broth and beef broth in bowl; sprinkle gelatin over top and let sit until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Pulse onion, carrot and celery in food processor until finely chopped, about 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed; transfer to separate bowl.
3. Pulse pancetta and mortadella in now-empty processor until finely chopped, about 25 pulses; transfer to third bowl. Process chicken livers in again-empty processor until puréed, about 5 seconds; refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add ground beef, veal and pork, and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until all liquid has evaporated and meat begins to sizzle, 10-15 minutes.
5. Stir in pancetta mixture and sage and cook until pancetta is translucent, 5-7 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to keep fond from burning.
6. Stir in chopped vegetables and cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook until rust-coloured and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
7. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth mixture, return to bare simmer, and cook until sauce has thickened (wooden spoon should leave trail when dragged through sauce), about 1 1/2 hours.
8. Stir in chicken livers and bring to brief simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)
Note: 8 tsp (40 ml) of gelatin is equivalent to one (1-oz/28-g) box of gelatin. If you can’t find ground veal, use an additional 12 oz (340 g) of ground beef.