Chinese-Italian Ragu

Name: Chinese-Italian Ragu
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Chinese, Italian
Ingredients: 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 1/2 cup Carrots (finely diced); 1/2 cup Fennel Stalks (finely diced); 1 small Yellow Onion (finely diced); 4 oz Pancetta (diced); 1 tsp Sichuan Peppercorns (optionally grind before adding); 1/2 tsp Whole Cloves (optionally grind before adding or use 1/4 tsp ground cloves); 1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds (optionally grind before adding); 4 cloves Garlic (minced); 1/2 lb Ground Italian Sausage (I used mild Italian sausage); 3/4 lb Ground Beef (I used 90/10 ground beef); 1/4 tsp Salt (or to taste); 1/4 tsp White Pepper; 1.5 tsp Chinese Five Spice; 1/2 cup Shaoxing Wine (or substitute with dry sherry or chicken broth); 2 tbsp Tomato Paste; 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes (I used a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes); 1 cup Water (or chicken bone broth; add more as needed); 1 tsp Light Soy Sauce; 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce; 1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar; 1 Cinnamon Stick; 1 Bay Leaf; 2 Star Anise; 2 Dried Red Chili Peppers

7 steps

Prep:20minCook:30min

This savory ragu sauce blends together Chinese and Italian flavors for an unexpectedly delicious fusion of flavors!

Updated at: Mon, 09 Dec 2024 07:54:37 GMT

Ingredients

6 servings

3 Tbspextra virgin olive oil

½ cupCarrots

½ cupFennel

4 ozPancetta

1 tspSichuan Peppercorns

optionally grind before adding

½ tspWhole Cloves

optionally grind before adding or use 1/4 tsp ground cloves

½ tspFennel Seeds

optionally grind before adding

4cloves garlic

minced

0.5 lbGround Italian Sausage

I used mild Italian sausage

0.75 lbGround Beef

I used 90/10 ground beef

¼ tspsalt

or to taste

¼ tspwhite pepper

1 ½ tspChinese Five Spice

½ cupShaoxing Wine

or substitute with dry sherry or chicken broth

2 Tbsptomato paste

28 ozCrushed Tomatoes

I used a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 cupWater

or chicken bone broth, add more as needed

1 tsplight soy sauce

1 Tbspoyster sauce

½ tspgranulated sugar

1cinnamon stick

1bay leaf

2star anise

2Dried Red Chili Peppers

Instructions

Step 1

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the finely diced carrot, fennel stalks, and yellow onion. Cook for 4 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally.

Step 2

Stir in the diced pancetta and Sichuan peppercorns and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the cloves and fennel seeds and cook for another 3 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Step 3

Add the ground Italian sausage and ground beef. Use a potato masher (or wooden spoon) to break the meat into crumbles. Season with salt, white pepper, and Chinese five spice. Cook for 5 minutes until lightly browned.

Step 4

Pour in the Shaoxing wine and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any stuck bits. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Step 5

Mix in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the can of crushed tomatoes, water, and bring to a simmer. Mix in the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and granulated sugar.

Step 6

Turn heat to low. Stir in the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, star anise, and dried red chili peppers. Cover the pot with a lid, leaving it slightly ajar. Cook for at least 2 hours or up to 3 hours. Stir occasionally throughout the cooking process and add splashes of water or chicken bone broth as needed if the liquid reduces too much. Add additional salt to taste.

Step 7

Remove the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, star anise, and dried red chili peppers before serving. You can also discard any whole cloves if you didn't grind them. See notes for serving suggestions.

View on Carol Bee Cooks

↑Support creators by visiting their site 😊