Carmelita's Cookitaly

Sicilian Bucatini al Ragù

Leafing through Paola Andolina's "Cucina di Sicilia" I came across a recipe for "Pasta a' ragù" and thought I'd give it a try as I had all the ingredients available. It has the typically Sicilian combination of sweet and savoury in the pine nuts and raisins element. Originally it would have been currants (uvetta di Corinto), the dried Corinth grapes that are tiny, almost black and fairly sharp, not as sweet as the regular raisins (uvetta) that tend to be used today. I can get currants in Sicily but not in Bologna so it was raisins for me when I made it a few days ago.

I have to tell you that in making this recipe I've discovered a new favourite: this is a pasta I will be making again and again and again. I love how you get the occasional hint of sweetness when you bite on a raisin, the extra texture the pine nuts contribute. It's a nice straightforward recipe, not too much time and no special skills needed to make a deliciously tasty and different pasta dish that will be devoured greedily - maybe even plates licked when no one's looking!

I have adapted the recipe only slightly from the one in the book cited above, mainly in expanding the very brief description of the steps in the process

Bucatini al Ragù

For 4 people you will need

300g (10/11ounces) Bucatini or broken up Ziti pasta - buy artisan if you can
a can of whole peeled plum tomatoes  - in summer ideally use fresh tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste - I use Mutti Triplo Concentrato
a small onion
2 tbsp EVO oil
200g (half a pound) ground beef
100g (1 cup) fresh shelled peas or use frozen (in the past, out of season, they'd have use home preserved peas)
12g (2 tablespoons) pine nuts
12g (2 tablespoons) raisins
Pecorino Stagionato to grate at table - Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano and Ricotta Salata are all preferable to over-salty Pecorinio Romano 

Put the contents of the tin of tomatoes through a sieve to remove stray bits of peel and seeds.
Dilute the tomato paste in 2 tablespoons fo warm water.
Chop the onion and soften in the olive oil with 2 tablspoons of water so that it does not fry or brown.
Add the minced beef when the onion is well wilted and stir till browned.
Add the peas, pine nuts and raisins and leave to cook together for a few minutes for flavours to marry.
Tip in the sieved tomatoes and the diluted tomato paste and stir well.
Turn the heat down and leave to simmer and reduce gently for 30 minutes.
Be sure to stir for time to time and top up with a little water if needed.
Cook the pasta al dente  - I always do 2/3 minutes less than the packet instructions then I taste and decide.
Drain the pasta well, mix it with two thirds of the dressing and serve, spooning some reserved ragù on top of each portion.
Pass the cheese round for everyone to grate over and tuck in immediately so the pasta does not overcook and soften to flabby -  which in Italy is a food crime!