Ragu Al Sardo Sardinian Meat Sauce Food

RAGU' AL SARDO (SARDINIAN MEAT SAUCE )

Steps:

• Saute onion in olive oil over low heat until onion softens thoroughly. Add garlic and parsley and raise heat to moderate. Saute for 2 minutes.
• Add turkey, red pepper flakes and saffron and continue cooking. Break up meat with a wooden spoon. Cook until meat is cooked through but not brown.
• Add tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste and simmer partially covered for 25 minutes.

SARDINIAN SUGO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. For dry pasta, cook to al dente, for fresh, wait until sugo is ready before you cook the pasta as it only takes 2 to 3 minutes. Salt the boiling water liberally before cooking either form of pasta.
• Heat the stock and saffron over medium heat in a sauce pot and reduce by about half, about 15 minutes.
• While the stock infuses and water comes to boil, heat a large deep skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, a couple turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the fennel seeds and toast for 1 minute. Add the meat, raise the heat to medium-high and season the meat with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the sage, red pepper flakes and paprika. When the meat is brown, add the garlic and the onions and cook together a few minutes more to soften the onions. Add tomatoes and crush, then bring the sauce to a bubble, reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in a few leaves of torn basil.
• When the pasta of choice is ready, add the infused stock to the sauce. Toss in the drained pasta and serve in shallow bowls with crusty bread and lots of pecorino cheese.

CAVATELLI WITH SARDINIAN MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large deep frying pan or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat.
• Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a fork, until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to moderately low and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Stir in the onion and garlic.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, mint, parsley, water, salt, and 1 pinch of the saffron. Simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the cavatelli with the remaining pinch saffron until just done, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain the cavatelli and toss with the meat sauce, the basil, the reserved pasta water, and the cheese.
• Serve with additional Pecorino Romano.