I first made this recipe on a cookery course in Italy. The ingredients are the same but obviously the method is different. There they simmered on the hob for 2 hours whereas here I pressure cook in an Instant Pot for 20 minutes.
This recipe produces a beautiful light and tasty ragu that can be served with spaghetti or tagliatelle, layered in lasagna or as a topping for a jacket potato.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion peeled and chopped
- 1 carrot peeled and chopped
- 1 stick celery peeled and chopped
- 1 bay leaf fresh or dried
- 1 clove of garlic crushed
- 75 g bacon streaky, smoked back or pancetta. Chopped.
- 250 g beef mince
- 250 g pork mince or you could just use 500g of beef mince but the mixture gives a lighter and tastier result.
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 cup red wine (180ml)
- 1 cup beef or chicken stock (180ml)
- 450 g passata or can of chopped tomatoes
- salt and pepper
Servings:
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté "normal".
- Add the oil and when it is hot add the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, garlic and bacon. Sauté slowly until the vegetables have softened and the bacon has cooked through.
- Raise the temperature of the Instant Pot by canceling the Sauté function then resetting it to Sauté "more." Add the meat and quickly brown it in the pot, stirring constantly to break it up.
- Cancel the Sauté function. Remove the bay leaf and add the rest of the ingredients. Close the lid and turn the valve to "sealing". Set the Instant Pot to high pressure cooking by pressing "Manual" and adjust cooking time to 20 minutes.
- Once cooked either do quick pressure release if the sauce is needed immediately, otherwise allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Serve with spaghetti or tagliatelle and a generous sprinkling of grated parmesan.
