Ragu Napoletano

Method

Finely dice the onion, celery and carrot, and crush the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and brown the beef and pork chunks in batches until deeply caramelised on all sides, then set aside. Soften the diced vegetables in the same pot for 8-10 minutes, then return the meat, add the garlic, and pour in the white wine to deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pot. Once the wine has mostly evaporated, add both the passata and tinned tomatoes, season with salt, pepper, bay leaves and oregano, and stir well. Reduce heat to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer gently for at least 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally and skimming excess fat as needed. The sauce should reduce significantly and the meat should be falling apart; this slow cooking develops the deep, complex flavour characteristic of authentic ragu napoletano.