Tagliatelle Al Ragu: New York-Tuscan fusion

by Anne Shirley

330 Kcal

Protein 24g
Carbohydrates 29g
Fat 13g

Average cooking

240 min

Throughout its history, New York City has been the major point of entry to the United States for immigrants. New York is known for being a “melting pot” due to its diverse population, with more than 800 languages spoken, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world. Various cultures influence New York’s food, such as Chinatown, Little Italy, Koreatown, Little Odessa, etc. You can find restaurants with food from all over the globe, such as the famous New York slice, pastrami, corned beef sandwiches, bagels, pasta, and general Tso’s chicken. With iconic monuments, excellent cuisines, world-class entertainment such as Broadway shows, underground nightclubs, and street performances combined with entertainment for all ages, it is safe to say that New York’s landscape suits just about every kind of traveller.

Where to try

Locanda Vini & Olii

#883 of 40429 restaurants in New York City , USA

Address: 129 Gates Ave, New York City, New York, USA

Creative chef of Locanda Vini & Olii has reinvented the traditional Italian Tagliatelle Al Ragu by adjusting it to the American palette. Recreate the dish in your kitchen.

Tagliatelle Al Ragu

“Ragu” roughly translates to a hearty meat sauce, and if you ask anyone in Italy, it is best paired with tagliatelle pasta. Anytime you want to elevate your pasta experience, you should make it fresh rather than store-bought. One of the best places to try authentic Tuscan cuisine in New York is Locanda Vini & Olii. This restaurant opened in January of 2001 and has been at the forefront of bringing Tuscan cuisine to the people of New York ever since. It is a must-visit restaurant for all travellers as a simple dish like “Tagliattle Al Ragu” with its secret ingredient can also be elevated to the next level. But fear not! If you cannot visit this place soon enough, with this authentic recipe you can have a true New York-Tuscan experience at home.

Cooking directions

Ingredients

For the Tagliatelle Dough:
300G or 1.25 cups durum flour
3 large eggs
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of x.v. olive oil
For the Ragu:
2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
3 red onions
zest of one orange
2 cups x.v. olive oil
2 glasses or 5 oz. red wine
2 tbsp salt
2 lbs whole tomatoes, peeled

Step 1. Add flour to a large bowl and make a small hole in the middle, add eggs, salt, and olive oil. Mix the flour inwards into the egg, and slowly keep mixing more and more flour until it is all mixed and forms a dough. Rest the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Step 2.Using a manual pasta machine, pass half of the dough through the machine and double it two to three times. After getting a smooth rectangle of pasta, keep passing the dough through the machine several times, and each time reduce the gauge of the rolls till you reach the number 2 level on the gauge. Take the final sheet of pasta and cut it into strips to form Tagliatelle pasta. Take a large pot of boiling salted water and cook the pasta in it. Keep in mind that fresh egg pasta takes about one minute to cook, so time it accordingly with the ragu.

Step 3. Take onions and chop them finely or grind them in a food processor. Add olive oil to a large pot and cook the onions till they become soft. Add ground beef and pork to the pot and cook until all the water has steamed out. When the meat starts sticking to the pot, add salt and red wine to the mixture. Cook the mixture till the alcohol evaporates completely.

Step 4. Grind tomatoes in a food processor and add to the pot. Next, take the orange and cut it into pieces, and add it to the mixture as well. Finally, add water. It should cover all the ingredients. Bring it to a boil and cover the pot, leaving some room for steam to come out. Cook the mixture on low heat for 3 hours.

Step 5. Once the cooking of the ragu is done, it should be of thick consistency. Adjust the seasonings by tasting the ragu. Take a bowl of the freshly made tagliatelle pasta, add the ragu to it and serve.

Tip: Take an orange zest and use it to garnish the dish before serving.

If you ask anyone to name their favourite city in the world, the answer most probably will be New York. Maybe it is due to its most recognizable landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, and Central Park, or because it was the setting for several TV shows such as Friends, Seinfield, Sex and the City, etc. Whatever the reason may be, people from near and far have always admired this city, and it has captured the hearts and minds of dreamers worldwide.

Share your experiences in cooking this dish with us.