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Simple Veal Pasta Sauce

For some time I had been thinking: How can I pare down a classic meat sauce for those occasions when I have neither the time to make nor the voracity to consume a full-scale ragù? The sauce below is the answer I came up with. I replaced beef with veal; eliminated the milk, the wine, the carrot, and the celery; and reduced the cooking time from several hours to half of one. It is as easy to take as it is to do. Is it a favorite dish? Sure — it is my favorite simple meat sauce.

Suggested pasta: The ideal carrier for this simple meat sauce is a homemade noodle, in particular one scented with rosemary and sage, cut into fettuccine or tonnarelli.  Boxed dry pasta in a short tubular shape such as penne or maccheroncini  can be a satisfactory alternative.


Makes enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta, making 4 large or 6 small servings

3/4 pound fresh, ripe tomatoes or 1 cup canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, and drained of juice
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 pound ground veal
black pepper ground fresh
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Step 1

If you are using fresh tomatoes, peel them by dipping them in boiling water for 1 minute, then squeeze off their skin. Halve the tomatoes, scoop out their seeds without squeezing, and chop up coarsely.

Step 2

Put 2 tablespoons of butter and the vegetable oil in a small saucepan and turn on the heat to medium high. Cook the onion, stirring from time to time, until it becomes colored a pale gold.

Step 3

Add the ground veal, and turn it over several times, using a wooden spoon, to brown it all over.

Step 4

Add the cut-up tomato, salt, and several grindings of pepper, and with your wooden spoon turn over all ingredients two or three times. Cook at a steady but gentle simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 5

Cook and drain the pasta and toss it immediately and thoroughly with the sauce, swirling into it the remaining tablespoon of butter and the grated Parmesan.

Cooks' Note
The sauce may be cooked a day in advance and refrigerated in a tightly sealed container or in a bowl under plastic wrap. When reheating, add a tablespoon of water, bring to a gentle simmer, stir occasionally, and cook until hot through and through.
Marcella Cucina