Pesto Pastaria mascotPesto Pastaria
Start Academy
All recipes

Toscana · Ragù Finto

Strozzapreti al Ragù Finto

Hand-rolled twisted pasta in a rich vegetarian 'fake meat' sauce of finely diced vegetables, tomato, and red wine — peasant ingenuity at its finest.

Total

50 min

Prep

15 min

Cook

35 min

Serves

4

EasyTuscanVegetarianPeasantSlow-simmeredHearty
Strozzapreti al Ragù Finto — Ragù Finto

The Story

Where it comes from

Ragù finto — 'fake ragù' — is what Tuscan contadini made when meat was scarce. Carrots, celery, and onions are diced so finely they mimic the texture of ground meat, then slowly cooked down with tomato and wine until the sauce is as rich as any Bolognese. Strozzapreti, 'priest-stranglers,' are the twisted pasta that catches every drop.

Mise en Place

Ingredients

For 4 servings. Quantities are by weight where it matters — Italian cooking is a math of grams and minutes.

For the pasta

  • Strozzapreti (or casarecce)

    400 g

  • Coarse sea salt

    for water

For the sauce

  • Carrot

    finely diced (2 mm)

    2 medium

  • Celery

    finely diced

    2 stalks

  • Yellow onion

    finely diced

    1 large

  • Garlic

    minced

    2 cloves

  • Tomato passata

    400 g

  • Red wine

    120 ml

  • Extra-virgin olive oil

    60 ml

  • Fresh rosemary

    1 sprig

  • Bay leaf

    1

To finish

  • Pecorino Toscano

    grated

    60 g

Equipment

Wide skilletSharp knifeWooden spoon

The Method

Chef-led, step by step

  1. 1

    Dice finely

    10 min

    The key is uniformity — dice carrot, celery, and onion into 2 mm cubes so they cook evenly and mimic ground meat texture.

  2. 2

    Sweat the vegetables

    14 min

    Warm olive oil, add all vegetables and garlic. Cook over medium-low heat until completely soft and starting to caramelize, 12-15 minutes.

  3. 3

    Deglaze and simmer

    20 min

    Add wine, scrape the pan, then add passata, rosemary, and bay. Simmer 20 minutes until thick and rich.

  4. 4

    Cook and toss

    6 min

    Cook strozzapreti al dente. Toss into the sauce with pasta water. Finish with pecorino.

Chef tips

  • ·The finer the dice, the more the sauce resembles ragù. A food processor pulsed briefly works too.
  • ·Let the vegetables caramelize slightly — that's where the 'meaty' depth comes from.
  • ·Red wine adds body that compensates for the missing meat.

Common mistakes

  • ·Chunky vegetables. This sauce depends on fine, even dice.
  • ·Rushing the sweat. Undercooked vegetables taste raw, not rich.
  • ·Using water instead of wine — you lose the backbone of the sauce.

The Cellar

Wine pairings

Chianti Classico

Toscana

The same wine that went into the sauce — bright, savory, perfect match.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano

Toscana

Crisp white if you prefer — almond and citrus lift the tomato.

Shopping List

What to bring home

  • Strozzapreti (or casarecce)400 g
  • Coarse sea saltfor water
  • Carrot2 medium
  • Celery2 stalks
  • Yellow onion1 large
  • Garlic2 cloves
  • Tomato passata400 g
  • Red wine120 ml
  • Extra-virgin olive oil60 ml
  • Fresh rosemary1 sprig
  • Bay leaf1
  • Pecorino Toscano60 g

Questions

Frequently asked

Explore more recipes