Piedmontese Hazelnut Ragu
This delicious and unique Piedmontese hazelnut ragu swaps meat for hazelnuts, which are simmered alongside red wine, vegetables and herbs to create an incredible meat-free, vegetarian ragu that's full of flavour and perfect with pasta or polenta.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 onion
- 1 cup (150g) whole hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup (15g) dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (125ml) red wine (such as Barbera d’Asti or Chianti)
- 2 cups (460g) Passata (tomato puree US)
- 1/2 cup (125ml) water
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 lb (450g) pasta of choice (such as paccheri, rigatoni or tagliatelle)
- Parmigiano Reggiano for serving (use a vegetarian-friendly cheese if needed)
Instructions
Prep
- Add the dried porcini mushrooms to a ramekin or bowl and cover them with hot water. Let them soak for at least 10 minutes or until needed.
- Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan for a few minutes. Let them cool completely then pulse in a food processor until you have a rough, crumbly texture. Set aside.
Make the ragu
- Finely chop the carrot, celery and onion into small pieces. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan. Add the chopped vegetables and saute them gently until soft but not browned (about 10 minutes).
- Once soft, add a finely chopped garlic clove, chopped hazelnuts, bay leaf and rosemary and saute for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
- Roughly chop the porcini mushrooms and add them to the veg alongside most of their soaking liquid. Be careful not to add the grit that’s usually left at the bottom.
- Next, add the red wine and let it simmer until you can no longer smell a strong alcohol smell. Add the tomato passata and water with a good pinch of salt and pepper, and stir together.
- Simmer on medium-low for 1 hour. Halfway through, check the sauce and if it has reduced too much, add a little more water as needed (¼-½ cup/60-125ml).
- Taste for seasoning and add extra salt and pepper as needed.
- Once ready, cook your pasta in plenty of salted boiling water until al dente, then transfer it to the sauce. Use a little pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed, and toss the pasta until fully coated.
- Serve in bowls topped with lots of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes
Storage and freezing - the ragu will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 549kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27g | Sodium: 59mg | Potassium: 1531mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 3212IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 6mg
