Pasta with Simple Beef Ragu

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 150 minutes
Difficulty: 1
Spiciness: 0
Number of Servings: 4

This dish proves that a top-notch specialty can be created even from inexpensive ingredients!

Peel, wash, and finely chop the carrots, celery, and parsley. Peel the onion and garlic, and finely chop them separately. Rinse the meat under running water and dry it well with paper towels. Cut the pancetta into small pieces.
Heat oil in a large pot. Add the pancetta, carrots, celery, parsley, and onion. Cook the ingredients in the pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Push the sautéed ingredients to the side and place the meat in the pot. Brown the meat on all sides while turning it.
Pour the wine into the pot. Increase the temperature slightly and use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot to release all the caramelized bits that formed during browning. Bring the wine to a boil and let it simmer gently for 5 minutes to allow most of the alcohol to evaporate. Then add the tomato paste, garlic, and bay leaf to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, mix well, and cover. Cook the ragu over low heat for about 2 hours, or until the meat is completely tender. Add liquid (water, broth) as needed during cooking.
Once the ragu is ready, remove the cooked meat from the pot. Shred it into smaller pieces using a fork or your fingers and return it to the pot. Taste the ragu and adjust the seasoning with more pepper or salt if needed. Mix it with cooked pasta (gnocchi), serve on plates, and offer the prepared dish with grated cheese.