Mama Scorsese's real ragù from the most famous prison dinner in cinema.
Three meats, razor-thin garlic, a long slow simmer.
INGREDIENTS for 4 people
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 300 grams beef chuck or shank, in large chunks
• 300 grams veal, in large chunks
• 300 grams Italian pork sausage, casings removed
• 2 small onions, finely chopped
• 7 garlic cloves, sliced razor-thin
• 120 grams tomato paste
• 1 kg canned whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
• 10 grams fresh basil, torn
• Half a teaspoons salt
• Half a teaspoons black pepper
• 500 grams rigatoni or spaghetti
• grated Pecorino or Parmesan
STEPS
1. Slice the garlic: Slice the 7 garlic cloves, sliced razor-thin as thin as you possibly can, almost transparent.
In the film Paulie uses a razor blade so it melts into the oil. A very sharp knife does the job, but don’t cut yourself.
2. Brown the meat: Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef chuck or shank, in large chunks, veal, in large chunks and the Italian pork sausage, casings removed in batches on all sides, then set aside, leaving the fat behind.
3. Soften onion and garlic: Lower the heat. Add the 2 onions, finely chopped and the sliced garlic cloves and cook gently until soft and golden, never browned. Do not rush this part.
4. Build the base: Stir in the tomato paste and cook a minute until it darkens. Add the canned whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushing them by hand, plus one paste-can of water.
5. Simmer low and slow: Return all the meat to the pot. Season with salt and black pepper.
Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook uncovered on low, stirring up from the bottom now and then, until the meat falls apart with a fork.
6. Finish with basil: Stir the torn fresh basil leafs, torn into the sauce in the last few minutes. Taste and adjust the salt.
7. Serve the Neapolitan way: Cook the rigatoni or spaghetti and toss with the sauce. Lift out the big pieces of meat, slice them and serve as a second course. Finish the pasta with grated Pecorino or Parmesan.
NOTES
Mama Scorsese's one rule: no oregano, in her words it just repeats on you. Optional touches some cooks add that are not in the original: a splash of red wine after browning the meat, or a pinch of sugar to soften the tomatoes' acidity. For the full version she also dropped egg-size meatballs straight into the sauce raw, done once they float to the top.