Tony's Table: Ragu Bolognese al Coltello

NEW YORK (CBS 2) – In this segment of Tony's Table, Beatrice Tosti di Valminuta joins CBS 2's Tony Tantillo to cook up a fantastic dish of ragu Bolognese al coltello.

The recipe has been served at Il Bagatto since it opened in 1995. Beatrice's friend Giovanna learned the recipe from her grandmother Mioli, who was from Reggio Emilia.

It's a typical ragu to prepare with your family, friends or for a dinner party on a day off starting early and serving it for dinner or late Sunday lunch.

Ragu Bolognese al Coltello

Ingredients

12 oz. of beef skirt or chuck cut into strips and then into ½ inch cubes more or less

6 oz. of pork shoulder cut the same way

6 oz. of veal shoulder (blade steak or stew) also cut into ½ inch dice

6 oz. of pancetta cut in ½ inch dice

¼ cup dried porcini soaked in 2.5 cup of warm water. Preserve the soaking water after straining.

1 carrot chopped

1 stalk of celery chopped

1 medium onion chopped

1 cup dry red wine that you would drink

2.5 cup chicken stock

1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Fettuccine/Tagliatelle

Parmigiano

Place a favorite heavy pot over medium heat. Add pancetta and let become golden and crisp but not dried (if the pancetta is on the lean side you want to add 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil). Add chopped vegetables and cook until the union is translucid, stirring with a wooden spoon but not too often so you can allow carmelization to build.

Add chopped meat and cook for 20 minutes or until all natural juices from the meat are reduced and absorbed.

Add wine and reduce completely. Add porcini and steeping liquid and reduce completely. Add chicken stock in three time reducing every time, taste for sale and adjust if need be. Add the tomatoes. Bring to slowest boil over lowest flame and let cook for two hours.

Serve with fettuccine/tagliatelle or any pasta you might enjoy with freshly grated Parmiagiano or Grana.