Il Ragù. The classic Neapolitan pasta sauce that is served with the traditional family Sunday lunch. So what was I doing in Gragnano on a late Saturday afternoon trying not one, not two, but three different ragu sauces?. I was attending a discussion on the
big red led by
Maurizio Cortese of Gazzetta Gastronomica. Cortese began by quoting a popular film
Sabato, Domenica, e Lunedi, starring Sofia Loren. A classic which I have seen several times. There is a scene in particular where Sofia is at the butcher shop one Saturday afternoon waiting to purchase the right cuts of meat for
her traditional recipe. A heated, and somewhat comical, debate begins between Sofia and the other housewives shopping for
their recipe. Which cuts to buy, which town has the true recipe, the best recipe etc.
So here I was, the Chiostro di San Leone, with Cortese and three cooks who he had invited to share their stories, their ideas, and their sauces that Saturday late afternoon.
First,
Riccardo Scarselli. Scarselli, owner of
Il Bikini in Vico Equense swears he is not a chef. He considers himself a
bagnino, a beach attendant. Ok, but one who back in 1994, out of curiosity, decided to play around with ingredients to make his ragù sauce.
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| Riccardo Scarselli |
After trial and error, he believes that he has found the right combination which includes meats, braciole (rolled thin slices of pork), pork ribs and cheek. The perfect onions-white ones from Montoro, a town in Avellino. And the right pot-it must be copper. He makes his own tomato concentrate using San Marzano tomatoes. Scarselli uses lard in addition to extra virgin olive oil.
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| Elisia Menduni (Gazzetta Gastronomica) warms up Scarselli's sauce |
Then the careful eye, patience, and experience for this slow cooking sauce to reach the right point.
Il ragù secondo Riccardo, Ragu according to Riccardo. He likes his sauce thick, dark red/almost brown. He likes it when the meat and sauce have pratically become one.
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| Riccardo's ragù |
After a bowl of Riccardo's sauce, served with a thick slice of bread, it was time for Cortese to introduce Signora
Angelina Ceriello of
E' Curti in San Anastasia (Na). Signora Angelina, who, Cortese informed us, will celebrate 60 years of service in her restaurant's small kitchen on the 12th of Septmenber. Soft-spoken Signora Angelina, small herself, brought a large pot of ragù cooked just the way she likes it, and her customers as well.
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| Signora Angelina and Mauriio Cortese |
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| Angelina's sauce |
In Angelina's sauce, she also sticks with pork pieces such as the muscle, pancetta, and
gallenelle, the part above the thighs
. She uses her hoemade tomato sauce, no onions, and extra virgin olive oil. During cooler months, she adds more meat such as sausages, and
cotiche, stuffed pork skins
, The aromas that came from the pot were amazing. And when served in a bowl with a piece of bread and a tender piece of slow cooked pork? Hard not to imagine this sauce with a plate of pasta cooked
al dente, firm.
Cortese was ready to present his final panelist. One whose sauce he knows very well, a sauce prepared by his wife
Cristina Lontananza. Cristina learned the basics of her recipe like many other Neapolitans, from her mother. Then over the years added what she wanted and deleted what she didn't.
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| Cristina Lontananza |
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| Lontananza's ragù |
Lontananza also believes strongly in what meat she chooses for her sauce. Braciole, stuffed with pine nuts, uvette (dried grapes) parsley, garlic and cheese is a must. Then cotiche, pork ribs, and sausage if she has some on hand. In her version she uses canned San Marzano tomatoes, onions, extra virgin olive oil, and experience, patience and care.
By the end of the afternoon, we had tasted three sauces, heard three stories. The stories, like the sauces, were special, different, and unique. Just like the three people who presented them; Riccardo Scarselli, Angelina Ceriello, and Cristina Lontananza.
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