BAR CICHETTI
by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke & Tom Taraci
BAR CICHETTI
by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke & Tom Taraci
CAMP DIVID SPAGHETTI - Recipe
From a NAVY COOK who cooked this dish for Presidents, Marines, and Naval personnel of the US Navy, and United States Marines. At CAMP DAVID. It's a a hearty crowd pleasing dish, made with meat sauce, served with Spaghetti & Italian Sausage. "What's not to Love?" A dish loved by Presidents Clinton, Bush, Biden, Obama, and Trump. You'll love it too!
Ingredients :
4 Italian sausage links
1 pound lean ground beef
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (16 ounce) package dry spaghetti
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Slice sausages lengthwise, leaving links attached along one side; lay flat in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned and cooked through, 5 minutes, flipping once. Transfer to a plate; set aside.
Add ground beef, onion, garlic, and olive oil to the same skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until onion is translucent and beef is browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Drain all but 2 tablespoons drippings from the skillet. Stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes, oregano, salt, basil, bay leaf, and black pepper; simmer, uncovered, over low heat until flavors have blended, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard bay leaf.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain. Stir spaghetti into sauce.
Divide spaghetti and sauce among individual oven-safe baking dishes or plates; top each with a cooked half sausage and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and begins to brown, 5 to 10 minutes.
UPDATED RECIPE FOR REAL RAGÙ ALLA BOLOGNESE
DEPOSITED IN THE BOLOGNA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON 20 APRIL 2023
Coarsely ground beef (see note): 1 lb (400g)
• Fresh pork pancetta, slices: 6 oz (150g)
• ½ onion, peeled: about 2 oz (60g)
• 1 medium carrot, peeled: about 2 oz (60g)
• 1 celery stalk, trimmed: about 2 oz (60g)
• ½ cup (1 glass) of red or white wine
• Strained tomatoes: 7 oz (200g)
• Tomato paste (double-concentrated): 1 tbsp
• ½ cup (1 glass) of whole milk (optional)
• Light meat or vegetable broth (or stock cubes)
• Extra virgin olive oil: 3 tbsp
• Salt and pepper
PREPARATION :
In a heavy non-stick 10-inch (24-26cm) casserole (aluminium or enamelled cast-iron (Dutch oven)
or terracotta saucepans can be used), melt the ground or chopped pancetta with olive oil.
Using a chef’s or chopping knife, finely chop the onion, celery, and carrot (do not use a food
processor); add the vegetables to the oil and pancetta and cook over low heat, stirring constantly
with a wooden spoon until softened but not browned.
Raise the heat to medium and add the meat, break it up, then cook for about ten minutes, always
stirring, until it sizzles and browns.
Add the wine; cook over medium heat until it has completely evaporated. Add the tomato paste
and purée. Mix well; add a cup of boiling stock (or water) and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours
(or 3 depending on preference and type of meat), adding hot broth (or water) as needed. Add any
milk (traditionally used) half way through the cooking; allow to evaporate completely. Season with
salt and pepper before serving. When ready the sauce will be a rich maroon hue, thick and glossy.
ISTITUZIONE CULTURALE
DELLA REPUBBLICA ITALIANA
Note
Traditionally, in Bologna hanger or skirt steak is used (the diaphragm of the beef, which is difficult
to find today). In lieu or in addition, favour anterior cuts, rich in collagen, such as shoulder or
chuck, brisket, plate or flank. Combinations are acceptable, as is the modern technique of
browning the meat separately and then adding it to the softened minced vegetables in the pan.
Permitted variants:
• Mixed beef and pork (about 60% beef)
• Meat minced with a knife
• Cured pancetta instead of fresh pancetta
• A pinch of nutmeg
Unacceptable variants:
• Veal
• Smoked pancetta or bacon
• Only pork
• Garlic, rosemary, parsley or other herbs and spices
• Brandy instead of wine
• Flour as a thickening agent
Ragù alla bolognese can be enriched with:
• Chicken livers, hearts and gizzards
• Peeled and crumbled pork sausage
• Blanched peas, added at the end of cooking
• Dried porcini, rehydrated
Accademia Italiana della Cucina
RAGU BOLOGNESE - Official Recipe