Tuscan Ragu – Ragu Alla Contadida

My all-time favorite food growing up was, without a doubt, my mom’s Bolognese (ragu). Her side of the family hailed from Italy and had an incredible Bolognese recipe in which the meat stewed in tomatoes for hours, resulting in a wonderfully flavorful dish. However, it wasn’t until culinary school that I discovered an interesting historical fact: Italian meat sauce, or ragu, was not originally made with tomatoes. Tomatoes were introduced to Italy in the 1500s. Before that, their ragu was crafted with wine and milk.

The dish we’re preparing today, Ragu Alla Contadina, represents a beautiful blend of the old and the new. It combines both milk and tomatoes to create a truly delectable meat sauce.

History of Ragu Alla Contadina:

It is unknown where the exact origin of Ragu alla Contadina takes place, but it is believed to have its roots in the regions of Tuscany and Bologna. The concept of slow-cooked meat-based sauces in Italy can be traced back to the Middle Ages. These sauces typically consisted of simple ingredients like meat, vegetables, and broth, simmered together for extended periods to create rich and flavorful sauces. These early versions of ragù were not always tomato-based since tomatoes were not introduced to Italy until after the discovery of the New World in the late 15th century.

As for Ragu alla Contadina specifically, the name itself translates to “peasant-style ragù,” indicating a rustic and frugal approach to cooking. Peasant-style cooking often involves making the most of available ingredients, reflecting the historical socio-economic conditions of rural Italy. Local ingredients, including various cuts of meat and vegetables, would have been used in these dishes. In the past, milk was more readily available than tomatoes, which is why this recipe includes milk.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Pancetta – this is a fatty and flavorful cut of pork from the pork belly. If you cannot find it, you can also use bacon.
• Onions, carrots, celery – these are the vegetables used for flavor, definitely don’t omit these if you can!
• Ground beef – try to pick a ground beef that is 80/20, so 80% protein, 20% fat. This is best for flavor.
• Ground pork – also here for fantastic flavor. Ragu typically uses multiple meats for best flavor.
• Prosciutto – cured and thinly sliced pork leg, again this is to add flavor, but you could use any cured pork product here.
• Red wine – we use red wine to deglaze the whole dish. It cooks off the alcohol and flavors the dish. I prefer a dry red wine, even better if you can use an Italian Chianti. If you don’t cook with alcohol, just omit this ingredient.
• Chicken stock – chicken stock is the most flavorful which is why I use it for this recipe, however you can use any meat stock.
• Milk – the traditional recipe here calls for whole cow’s milk, however I don’t eat dairy so I used coconut milk and it was great! Use any milk of choice.
• Whole San Marzano Tomatoes – these are the best canned tomatoes, crush them in your hands and add to the dish.

Tips for Cooking Ragu Alla Contadina:

• Brown off the pancetta first until crispy, then saute the vegetables and garlic.
• Brown the ground meats. If your pan is too small, the meat won’t brown it will be grey and steam, so divide into two pans if needed.
• Deglaze with red wine and reduce until it is almost dry, this cooks off the alcohol.
• Simmer with the rest of the liquids with a lid partially covering the dish to reduce. I simmered for about an hour, but if you want to simmer longer, make sure the lid is completely covering the dish so it doesn’t over reduce. If you feel like it is reducing too much and it is uncovered slightly, just cover it completely with a lid to trap evaporation.