Recipe of the week

This Sicilian stew can be eaten as it is – or ladle off most of the sauce and pour it over pasta for a starter, then serve the meat and spuds as a main with veg.

Slow-cooked pork, beef and sausage ragu

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 tbsps 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 white or red wine 4 tbsps tomato purée 1.2kg tinned whole tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 litre chicken, meat or vegetable stock, or hot water 6 potatoes (approx. 1kg), peeled and cut in half 200g peas, frozen or fresh (optional)

• In a large casserole dish over a medium heat, brown the meat in batches in the olive oil. Set aside. • Add the onions to the remaining oil in the pan, along with the garlic, bay leaves and rosemary. Season and cook on a low heat for 7-10 minutes, until softened. • Add the meat back into the pan with the wine and bring to the boil. Allow to reduce for few minutes.

Add the tomato purée, tomatoes and stock (or water). Stir to combine. • Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook slowly for 4-5 hours, until the meat falls away from the bones easily. Add the potatoes after around 4 hours and continue to cook until they are tender. Add the peas, if using, towards the end of the cooking time (cook for 15 minutes from frozen; 30 minute if fresh).

Taken from Sicily by Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi, published by Hardie Grant Books at £25. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £22, call 020-3176 3835 or visit www.theweek.co.uk/bookshop.