Shortcut Fennel & Bacon Ragu From Lyndsay Bettles
Most ragùs ask you to chop many things and simmer for hours—this one expects neither. Yet it still delivers a richly flavored sauce for pasta, polenta, pizza, and much more, all because of a very unconventional trick.
Ingredients
- 2 large or 3 small fennel bulbs, roughly chopped
- 8 strips smoked bacon, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 sprig of rosemary, picked
- 1/2 teaspoon chile flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 liter (1 quart/32 ounces) tomato passata (see author notes)
- sea salt, to taste
- cooked pasta, to serve (or see author notes for more serving suggestions)
Directions
- Heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Place the fennel, bacon, garlic, rosemary, chile flakes, and fennel seeds into a food processor and blitz down until finely chopped. (If your food processor bowl is getting full, do this in two batches.)
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to an ovenproof dish and place over medium heat. Add the fennel mix to the hot saucepan and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until starting to soften. Add the tomato passata and stir. Bring to the boil and then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Place in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the sauce looks (and tastes) well-melded. Remove, taste and adjust seasoning, and serve immediately tossed through pasta. Store any leftovers airtight in the refrigerator. (See the Author Notes above for other ideas for using the sauce up).
