Pappardelle with Beef & Sausage Ragu

Pappardelle with Beef & Sausage Ragu
Serves 4-6

The secret to this sauce is really the mushrooms. For all the talk about ragu and meat, the umami and earthiness come from pureeing the mushrooms with a bit of red wine and allowing it to act as the creamy agent in this sauce. We love pairing this full bodied 2021 Pinot Noir Dutton Ranch, exclusive to our wine club members, with this dish because like this meal it’s both incredibly elevate and surprisingly approachable. We love this combination for a cozy romantic dinner in. 

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups mushrooms
1 cup dry red wine
Salt, to taste
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
2 cups low sodium beef stock
2 cups grated pecorino cheese, divided
½ bunch parsley, roughly chopped
1 lb. linguine

In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with the back of your spoon until browned and cooked through. Add beef to sausage and repeat until all meat is browned. 

Add onion and garlic and cook until just fragrant, about two minutes. 

In a blender or food processor, pulse mushrooms with a tablespoon or so of the wine until it’s fully smooth and broken down. This will look weird but trust us!

And mushrooms to the meat and full incorporate. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Add the remaining wine, deglazing the pan and cooking until fully reduced. This should take about 5 minutes. Add stock and bring mixture to a simmer. Cook, uncovered for about an hour, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Taste again, and season as needed. Stir in 1 cup cheese and parsley. 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously. Cook linguine until al dente and remove from the pot, placing directly into the sauce. Top naked noodles with about half of the remaining cheese (1/2 cup or so) and using a little of the pasta water, add to the cheese to melt slightly. Start by using just a ladleful. Using tongs or two spoons, gently toss together pasta.

Serves with more cheese if desired. Enjoy while hot.