Rotelle with Veal Ragù

Rotelle with veal ragù is a classic Italian dish, comforting and full of flavor. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 350 grams of rotelle (or another type of short pasta)
• 300 grams of ground veal
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1 carrot chopped
• 1 stalk of celery chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 400 grams of tomato puree
• 1 glass of red wine
• Extra virgin olive oil as needed
• Salt and pepper as needed
• Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
• Fresh parsley chopped (optional)

Preparation

1. Begin by preparing the soffritto: in a large pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until they are soft and slightly golden.
2. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes, making sure not to burn.
3. Increase the heat and add the ground veal, browning it until it gets color on all sides. Deglaze with red wine and let it evaporate.
4. Pour the tomato puree, season with salt and pepper, and let it simmer on low heat for at least 1 hour, until the ragù has thickened and intensified in flavor. If necessary, add a little water.
5. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rotelle according to the package instructions to achieve the desired doneness. Drain the pasta al dente and keep a cup of the cooking water.
6. Pour the pasta into the pan with the ragù and mix well to ensure the pasta is evenly flavored. If it’s too dry, use some of the pasta’s cooking water to moisten.
7. Serve the rotelle with veal ragù plated and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and, if you like, some chopped fresh parsley.

Finally, a curiosity: did you know that the term “ragù” comes from the French word “ragoût”, which means “stew”? However, over the centuries in Italy, the term has become synonymous with a meat-based pasta sauce.