Zia Mia's ragù (1)

Another week under a blanket of light snow. Yesterday was so cold that I was thinking of preparing pasta al ragù. No diluted tomato or vegetable sauce, but a very concentrated affair of meat. A dish mirroring my present state of mind: no thin indifferent measures, but solid passionate strength.

I have posted one recipe before here: from someone who used to prepare this for me. Before she became a foodblogger, Oleandri commented with two alternative recipes of ragù by one of my aunts, recipes which she happened to know about. I give full prominence to these versions here.

Zia Mia's ragù (1)

olive oil
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
2-3 peperoncini (optional; I used 2)
2 bay leaf
nutmeg
1-2 carrots
1 green celery stalk
pancetta or bacon (I used 2 slices of pancetta)
150 g minced meat, half pork, half beef
My own addition: 300 g steak meat, freshly ground at home
1 big can of tomatoes
vegetable stock
2 cm (2/3 inch) of water
salt, pepper

Fry pancetta, celery, onion, peperoncini, and carrots with bay leaves in olive oil for a few minutes.

Add the rest of the meat, and fry over medium heat until dry, until the liquid has evaporated.

Add the can of tomatoes, stock, water, and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and let simmer at least 30 minutes. One and a half hour gives a perfect concentrated result.

Notes:
Because you add peperoncini early on, this is spicy.
I used 1 cup of white wine instead of stock.
Be careful with salt - this was salty to me, perhaps on account of the pancetta. Add salt only at the very end.

Serve with intensity.