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Spaghetti alla Chitarra with 4 meat ragu Abruzzese

This rich tasty meat lovers ragu is just the right dish for a special occasion or hearty meal!

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 501 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 100 g lamb shoulder or shank or leg chops ( I used large leg chops and cut the meat off the bone and cubed it and then used the bones to make a stock)
  • 100 g veal rump sirloin or hind shank (without bones)
  • 100 g beef rump
  • 4 thick slices of pancetta
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 carrots finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks finally chopped
  • 2 cloves
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 dried peperoncino or 2 teaspoons of peperoncino flakes (optional)
  • 1-2 cups chicken stock you can use homemade or stock cubes. I made my own lamb stock by boiling the lamb bones with 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks for about 2 hours
  • ½ glass red wine
  • 1-2 690g bottles of tomato passata I use rustica which is thicker
  • salt for pasta and to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 360 g spaghetti alla chitarra or normal spaghetti, bucatini, tagliatelle etc
  • Grated pecorino cheese.

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Finely chop the onion, carrots and celery and cook them in extra virgin olive oil until they become translucent. Then remove them from the pan and set aside.
  2. Cut all the meat into small cubes and the pancetta into small strips (see photo)
  3. Fry the pancetta until the fat starts to brown but don’t let it get too crispy. Remove from the pan and put it with the vegetables
  4. Brown the beef, lamb and veal one type at a time separately in the same pan as you cooked the pancetta , adding a little oil if necessary. Remove each type of meat once it is browned and add it to the pancetta and vegetables.
  5. When all the meat has been browned return it all with the vegetables to the frying pan.
  6. Add the cloves, nutmeg and peperoncino and cook for 2 minutes
  7. Add the red wine and cook until the wine has reduced.
  8. Add half a cup of stock and cook for a further 2 minutes
  9. Add one bottle of passata and mix everything well together
  10. Add salt and pepper to taste and allow to simmer partly covered for at least 1-1.5 hours stirring occasionally. Don’t allow the sauce to stick.
  11. As the sauce starts to reduce and thicken add a ladle of stock and/or more passata. ( I alternated stock and passata) Continue doing this until the meat is tender and the sauce has a semi-liquid consistency.
  12. Add more peperoncino if required and once the meat is tender add ½ cup of grated pecorino and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  13. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the instructions on the packet. Fresh or homemade pasta will cook very quickly (around 3-4 mins)
  14. Serve the pasta covered in sauce and extra grated pecorino as required

Notes

  • If you haven’t got any spaghetti alla chitarra, you can use normal spaghetti (preferably a little thick) tagliolini, bucatini, fettuccini or flat ribbons such as tagliatelle.For those who may prefer not to eat pork, leave out the pancetta

Nutrition Information

Calories 501kcal (25%) Carbohydrates 76g (25%) Protein 28g (56%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Trans Fat 0.003g Cholesterol 44mg (15%) Sodium 162mg (7%) Potassium 665mg (19%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 5109IU (102%) Vitamin C 4mg (4%) Calcium 53mg (5%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 501

% Daily Value*

Calories 501kcal 25%
Carbohydrates 76g 25%
Protein 28g 56%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 0.003g 0%
Cholesterol 44mg 15%
Sodium 162mg 7%
Potassium 665mg 14%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 5109IU 102%
Vitamin C 4mg 4%
Calcium 53mg 5%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.