In the kitchen with George from Zucchinis: This is how to make a delicious Tagliatelle al Ragù - a ‘true Italian comfort dish’
In a new special feature for the Reporter Series, an Italian restaurant owner in Batley is sharing delicious recipes from his recently published cookbook.
George Psarias, who runs Zucchinis, on Bradford Road, has penned Simply Italian, a collection of the chef’s favourite authentic Italian recipes inspired by traditional flavours, his family heritage and many years working in professional kitchens.
And now Reporter Series readers can step into George’s shoes in their own kitchens and try out his tasty dishes for themselves from scratch.
This week, George tells us how to make a delicious Tagliatelle al Ragù - a ‘true Italian comfort dish’.
He said: “Tagliatelle al Ragù is a traditional Bolognese recipe dish made with fresh ribbon pasta and a rich slow cooked beef ragu.
“Carrots, celery and onions add natural sweetness while olive oil and herbs deepen the flavour.
“The beef brings a hearty richness making this a true Italian comfort dish.”
Here is the list of ingredients needed to make the dish:
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 150g minced beef
- 150g canned tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 180g fresh tagliatelle
- 20g grated parmesan
And this is how to do it:
- Heat the oil in a pan. Saute onion, carrot and celery for 6-7 minutes until soft and aromatic
- Add minced beef and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking up with a spoon until browned
- Stir in chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano, salt and pepper
- Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened
- Meanwhile, cook tagliatelle in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain
- Toss pasta with ragu and cook for 2-3 minutes to absorb the sauce. Plate neatly, sprinkle with parmesan and serve hot
To serve
Optionally garnish with parsley or a drizzle of olive oil
The experienced restaurateur took over Zucchinis last summer having held numerous restaurants in Leeds, including The Olive Tree, and Giorgio’s Ristorante Italiano in Headingley.
He has also featured on a number of television programmes including BBC2’s Food and Drink, ITV’s This Morning with Richard and Judy, Channel 4’s Too Many Cooks, Channel 5 with Marco Pierre White and Sky’s Good Food Live.