A ragù is often thought of as a heavy meat sauce but meat should not be the central ingredient or the focus of a good ragù. The point is to make a sauce that makes the pasta shine rather than focusing on the meat or the sauce itself.
To make a ragù there are three basic steps:
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Brown the vegetables and a small bit of meat in olive oil or butter. Vegetables might include onions, celery, bell peppers, garlic or carrots, and dried porcini mushrooms can be used along with or in place of meat.
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Add good liquids like wine or stock and reduce, then add more liquid and reduce again. If tomato is going to be used, it should be added during this step. Each reduction adds depth and complexity to the ragù.
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Lower the heat, cover again with liquid, and simmer for an hour or more.
The recipe for Ragù alla bolognese provided by achan is an excellent example of a good ragù.