Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
- Orecchiette
- Meat (see below)
- Onions
- Olive oil
- Red wine
Preparation:
Like many Italian recipes, this one doesn't give quantities -- you adjust it to suit the number of people eating, your taste, and what you have. In any case, begin by sautéing minced onion in olive oil (I'd suggest a small onion, and 1/3 cup olive oil) until the onion is golden brown -- don't let it darken or with will become bitter. Add cutlets of meat cut from the animal of choice (horse, veal or pork; figure 1/3 to 1/2 pound of meat per person) and continue cooking, stirring and turning, until the meat is browned too. Splash in a half cup or so of red wine, continue cooking until it evaporates, and then stir in 2-3 heaping tablespoons tomato paste and a glass of water. Turn down the heat and simmer until the meat is very tender and begins to fall apart, adding more hot water as necessary. For a more flavorful sauce crumble some hot pepper into it -- to taste.Season the pasta with the sauce and serve it, with a red wine along the lines of a Salice Salentino Rosso.
How much pasta? As a first course, figure a pound for four people. Instructions for making orecchiette.
Variation: Those living in the Gargano area (the hump that sticks out from the heel of the boot) like to season their orecchiette with fresh ricotta as well as ragu:
Assuming you have 1 3/4 pounds (700 g) orecchiette, you will need a pound (500 g) fresh ricotta and the meat sauce. While the pasta is cooking dilute the ricotta in hot, lightly salted water, so as to obtain a fairly dense cream. Drain the pasta, season it with the ricotta cream, and spoon some meat sauce over it. Serve, again with a red wine, for example Rivera's Violante.
