When we talk about ragù alla pugliese, we refer to a rich and enveloping dish that embodies the culinary tradition of one of the most fascinating regions of Italy. The preparation begins with a slow and patient cooking of the onion, which, along with garlic, creates an irresistible aromatic base, essential for enhancing the flavors of the selected meats. The pork belly, chicken, sausage, and beef come together in a embrace of textures and tastes, while the tomato, in all its forms, adds color and freshness to the dish. This ragù is perfect for special occasions, such as a family Sunday lunch, where each serving tells the story of a tradition that is renewed. Paired with a good white wine from Puglia and homemade pasta, ragù alla pugliese becomes a moment of sharing and pleasure, an invitation to savor the beauty of regional cuisine.
* approximate values per serving
Cut the ventresca into small pieces and the other meats into cubes (3-4 cm); finely slice the onion and, with garlic, place it in a covered pan and cook very slowly with a glass of water and half a cup of oil. Stir it frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. When the onion is well cooked, add the pork and raise the heat to sauté everything; at this point, pour in half a glass of wine and continue cooking for half an hour, covered and on very low heat, to prevent sticking. Add the other cut meats and the other half glass of wine, the tomato purée, the tomato paste, the chili pepper, and salt. Continue cooking very slowly, still covered, for about three hours, until the meats are well cooked and the pork fat has melted into the tomato sauce. During the last 45 minutes of cooking, add the chicken and sausage. Use this sauce to dress the dry pasta (orecchiette are very suitable), adding the pieces of meat that did not break apart during the long cooking and some good grated pecorino cheese.
Pugliese ragù is a very beloved Pugliese pasta sauce prepared in Puglia. If you are looking for a recipe for sauce for orecchiette from Puglia, but also for macaroni, sagne, lagane, or other typical Pugliese formats, mixed meat ragù from Puglia is definitely for you. Even in other regions of southern Italy, these mixed meat ragùs are prepared, characterized by a very rich and thick sauce (there's always a bit of tomato paste) and long, indeed very long cooking times.
In fact, the word ragù - which comes from the French ragout - indicates, both etymologically and in terms of the history of the recipe, a sauce obtained from the prolonged cooking of pieces of meat, and not minced meat, as is the case with Bolognese ragù.
That said, mixed ragù from Puglia is truly a staple of Sunday family meals. The recipe for Pugliese ragù is passed down from generation to generation and involves using different cuts of meat together. Sausage, beef, but also pancetta and chicken are always key ingredients. And if in Barese ragù the so-called "braciole," or veal rolls with pancetta and canestrato cheese, are a must, in Salentine ragù the stars are often pork ribs, but also, sometimes, the famous "pezzetti" of horse meat.
In short, Pugliese ragù is essentially a mixed meat sauce from Puglia: the important thing is to have a trusted butcher who, without too much fuss, can provide us week after week with the right mix for our Pugliese sauce. A sauce for orecchiette from Puglia made to perfection can thus include cuts and types of meat to your liking, as long as it simmers for a long time and without haste.
Finally, another Pugliese sauce we wish to mention that is often prepared is Pugliese lamb sauce. Naturally, you must be a fan of lamb, a type of meat very appreciated in Puglia, especially on festive days.