So far we’ve been spared from the blizzard rocking the East Coast – it’s frigid and windy, but we’ve only got a dusting … for now. Days like this, when venturing outside feels unthinkable, are made for a slow-simmered, cozy dish to curl up with on the couch while catching up on Traitors.
Enter Via Carota’s Four-Hour Meat Sauce (Sugo di Carne), a recipe where the ingredient list is short and simple, but the secret ingredient is really just time.
It starts with a startling amount of soffritto (finely diced onion, carrot, and celery) cooked low and slow until completely tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Ground beef goes in next and browned, then comes a full bottle of dry white wine, brought to a simmer before the final addition of crushed tomatoes and water.
From there, you cover the pot and let time do its magic – stirring occasionally over the next 3.5 hours as your kitchen fills with a mouth-watering aroma.
What you end up with is a rich, dark, layered sauce, brimming with meat, vegetables, and flavor that only patience can build. When we made this in the fall, we tossed it with pappardelle, a generous showering of Parmesan, and served it alongside pull-apart cheesy garlic bread.
Book: Via Carota Cookbook, page 303
Rating: 5/5
How Easy Is That – Skill Level: Easy
How Easy Is That – Time Involved: 5 hours, 30 minutes
Store-Bought Is Fine: Ground beef
Recipe not online.
