Chicken Ragu Sauce

In Italy, a ragu sauce is typically made with minced, ground, or chopped meat and cooked with a sofrito which is typically onions, celery, and carrots. The meats that are used is varied but commonly include beef, pork, veal, chicken, game birds, lamb, horse or donkey among others.

Pasta al cioccolato con ragù di pollo

This ragu recipe was on the menu at the restaurant I worked at, in Italy. It works well made with either raw chicken or leftover chicken, I have directions for both.

Chicken Ragu Sauce For Chocolate Pasta

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
  
• Cook Time: 30 Minutes
• Yield: 2 servings as entree or 4 servings as an appetizer or first plate

Equipment

• Pasta Machine
• Large pot or stock pot
• Small saucepan
• Microplane for shaving the cheese

Ingredients

For the ragu sauce

• 2 tsp / 10 ml extra virgin olive oil
  
• 2 small shallots, minced
• 1 ounce / 30 grams celery, minced
• 1 ounce / 30 grams carrot, minced
• 4 ounces / 115 grams chicken thigh meat, bone and skin removed, diced
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon / 15 ml tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons / 30 ml dry Marsala wine
• 2 ounces / 1/4 cup / 50 ml dry white wine
• 12 ounces / 1-1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon/ 5 grams cornstarch
• Water for cornstarch
• 
  

For the chocolate pasta

• 125 grams / 9 ounces all-purpose flour
  
• 105 grams / 9 ounces semolina
• 20 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 whole eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• Kosher salt for the pasta water

For serving

• Kosher salt, to taste
• Parmigiano-Reggiano for grating
• 10 sprigs parsley, leaves picked and chopped

Method

For the ragu using raw chicken

1. In a 2 quart saucepan sweat the shallot, celery, and carrot in the olive oil, until translucent. 
2. Add the chicken and cook 2 to 3 minutes stirring frequently, to avoid browning.
3. Season with a couple pinches of salt and a couple grinds of pepper, and add the tomato paste. Continue cooking another 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the Marsala and white wine, stir and let it come to a simmer. Continue cooking until almost dry.
5. Add the stock, bring back to a simmer, and cook until it is reduced by half.
6. Dissolve the cornstarch in a couple tablespoons of water, and add to the sauce. Bring to a full boil and let it go for about a minute.
7. Immediately remove from heat and toss with chocolate pasta.

For the ragu using leftover chicken

1. In a 2 quart saucepan sweat the shallot, celery, and carrot in the olive oil, until translucent. 
   
2. Season with a couple pinches of salt and a couple grinds of pepper, and add the tomato paste. Continue cooking another 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the Marsala and white wine, stir and let it come to a simmer. Continue cooking until almost dry.
4. Add the stock, bring back to a simmer, and cook until it is reduced by half.
5. Add the chicken and cook 2 to 3 minutes stirring frequently, to heat it through.
6. Dissolve the cornstarch in a couple tablespoons of water, and add to the sauce. Bring to a full boil and let it go for about a minute.
7. Immediately remove from heat and toss with chocolate pasta.

For the pasta

1. Combine the flours and cocoa in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to thoroughly combine them. Mound the flour on a cutting board or pasta board, making a well in the center.
2. Combine the yolks and whole eggs into a small mixing bowl and scramble them.
3. Add the eggs to the well in the flour. Beat gently with a fork while incorporating some of the flour. Keep beating the dough until it comes together into a shaggy mass. Work the dough with your hands kneading until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

Rolling out the dough

1. Once the dough has rested, section the dough into four pieces.
   
2. Working one section of dough at a time roll through the pasta roller starting with the widest setting and working down to the thinnest. Be certain to keep remaining dough covered with plastic wrap or a damp towel to prevent drying out.
3. As the dough stretches it is going to get very long and become difficult to work with. For the last two settings cut the dough in half and continue rolling.
4. After you finish rolling the pasta pass the sheets through the fettuccine cutter. Once they are cut toss them with flour to prevent sticking and lay them out on a sheet pan dusted with flour.
5. Repeat until all the pasta is cut.

To cook 

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Salt it liberally, return to a full boil, and add the pasta. Fresh pasta is never cooked al dente, that is only for dried pasta.
   
2. When the pasta is fully cooked, strain in a colander. Add the drained pasta back to the pot.

To Serve

1. Toss the pasta with the ragu sauce and half the parsley.
   
2. Arrange mounds of pasta on plates and shave Parmigiano-Reggiano over each mound of pasta. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Notes

1. This sauce works well with plain pasta, as well as chocolate pasta. The important principle to bear in mind is that the sauce works best with thicker cut pastas, like fettuccine or pappardelle.
2. In Tuscany this dish is called: Pasta al cioccolato con ragù di pollo.