christabelle.com

serves two very generously as a main course, or four as a side dish.

While on vacation in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, I enjoyed a lovely book called “The Splendid Table” by Lynne Rosetto Kasper. There was a chapter in the book entirely on Ragu. I basically studied this chapter and vowed to make many types of Vegetarian Ragu when I got home. About a week later, I tried my first “true” Ragu. It wasn’t great, but it was good. Then, I tried again using more fresh ingredients and came up with this version. I didn’t want all the soy that’s in my other favourite dish, Boca Ragu, so I went for more veggies. Of course, you could add many more veg than I have here. This is just a nice base to start the Ragu process. With great ingredients, you don’t have to be elaborate. As they say, sometimes less is more.

In this version I use about 1/3 of a bottle of a dry red wine. As long as you would drink the wine from a glass, go ahead and cook with it too. I have never used a cooking wine from the grocery store. They are full of salt and little or no flavour. I mean when you cook with wine, you’re reducing down the flavours. Why would you want to reduce nothing to nothing? I find the stronger, dry red family good for making sauces. I wouldn’t advise anything less hearty than a Pinot Noir. Personally, I use a lot of the Sangiovese, Syrah, Chianti and Merlot wines to cook with. After all, those are the ones I drink the most! But, feel free to play around and come up with your own version of a nice, hearty Ragu. You won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients:
- 2 cans whole tomatoes, in puree (preferably Italian San Marzano, or any other good organic brand)
- 1 cup of the above puree, strained of seeds and pulp
- 2 carrots, diced small
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 cup vegetable stock (I use a roasted veg stock for more flavour)
- about 1/3 of a 750 mil. bottle of dry red wine
- 1 cup milk (2% or whole, but not skim)
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- dash of dried oregano (about 1/4 tsp)
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup freshly grated, or shaved, parmesan (the real stuff, not the powder in a green can)
- 3/4 lb. dried pasta of your choice. A nice Rigatoni works VERY well with this! Cook per package directions and immediately toss with pasta!

Method:
- Begin by bringing a large stock pot of water to a boil. Keep the lid on and have it ready to cook the pasta.
- In a large saucepan, over medium high heat, add a splash of extra virgin olive oil and the diced carrot. Cook until carrots are caramelized and tender, about 5-7 minutes. Then add the minced shallot and garlic and cook until they soften slightly. Add the tomatoes and break apart with a wooden spoon. I cut the tops off first, but do whatever you feel comfortable with. Add the strained tomato puree and bring to a simmer. Stir to combine all ingredients and allow the pan to go nearly dry. Add the oregano, vegetable stock and most of the wine. Stir and then add some salt & pepper. Not too much at this stage or you’ll end up with a very salty ragu! Check for saltiness (it won’t taste like much right now) and allow to simmer over medium heat for about an hour. Check often to make sure it doesn’t cook down dry. Once it’s thickened enough to look slightly like a glaze, add the butter and milk and the last of the red wine, if needed. Taste for salt again and then allow to simmer for another 20 minutes until thickened nicely. You can always add pasta cooking water to thin it out if it gets too thick.
-Toss the now cooked pasta with the finished ragu. Serve in big, wide, shallow pasta bowls topped with the parmesan cheese. Finish off the bottle of wine whilst you eat your lovely, comforting creation. Enjoy!