People mostly don't want to know why it should be done this way, they don't read manuals, they don't practise, and so forth, and so on. Really good cooking is for the clever people.
Ok guys, I need your help. So, I've cooked this Ragu according to the video and the ingredients given below in the comments. I am a decent cook, not a beginner, so I know the basics. The frying and draining of the mince went well. Lots of flavor there. The grating and cooking of the vegetables was also pretty good. It good sweeter and sweeter the longer I cooked it. I added a decent bottle of red wine and reduced it down to what I thought was about 10%. I had nice flavors of the meat, the vegetables and the red wine. Then, I added the passata. and from there it all went downhill... All I could taste was bland tomatos. No more meat, no vegetables, and only the acidity of the red wine (I think I should have reduced it even further to get rid of that acidity). I cooked it with a cartouche in the oven, gave it a lot of time. Still, all I could taste afterwards was bland tomatos. All the flavors where gone / overshadowed by the passata. What was my mistake? for how long do I have to cook the ragu on the stove after adding the passata? Should I reduce it down? I just added the passata, put the lid and cartouche on and put it into the oven.
@peddaz55 Well, the main thing thing is that the wine is thoroughly reduced to a thicker consistency, enhancing its flavor while mitigating acidity. When introducing the passata, consider using a smaller quantity and adjust based on taste, allowing for more control over the flavor profile. You could try enhancing the the base flavors with additional sautéed garlic or onion, it can offer a counterbalance to the tomato's dominance. Also, a good idea good be to extended the simmering period post-passata addition, either on the stove or in the oven, it can help the flavors to better integrate. Incorporating fresh herbs towards the end of cooking can inject a fresh dimension into the dish. If the wine's acidity remains too pronounced, a slight adjustment with sugar or baking soda could provide the necessary balance. Hope this helped!
@@ConorCruise-hw4ql Man, you are awesome. That's actually great advice. Thing is we are not at a all in tomate season. So the passata I get or the tomatos I can buy are all less than optimal. Your advice is really helpful and I will give it a new try this week. Gonna come back to you with an update!
