Categories: Sauces, Pasta, Italian, Veal 
      Yield: 12 servings 
  
    1/2 oz Dried porcini mushrooms             3 tb Olive oil 
    1/2 lb Lean veal shoulder                  1 tb Salt 
    1/2 lb Lean beef round or shin           1/4 ts Freshly ground black pepper 
  2 1/2 oz Pancetta or blanched bacon        1/2 c  Dry red wine 
      4 oz Large yellow onion              2 1/2 c  Drained canned plum tomatoes 
      1 lg Carrot                            1/2 c  Heavy cream 
      1 lg Celery stalk                             Freshly grated parmigiano 
      5 tb Butter                                   Freshly ground pepper 
  
  This takes a fair amount of time to make, but it freezes very well, so make 
  a large batch. This is enough for 2 1/2-to-3 pounds of pasta. 
   
  PUT THE PORCINI in a small bowl. Pour boiling water over them and let them 
  sit for 30 minutes. Drain them, rinse carefully, chop coarsely and rinse 
  carefully again. With a food processor or meat grinder, finely chop first 
  the veal and beef, then the pancetta, onion, carrot and celery. Saute the 
  pancetta and minced vegetables in the butter and oil in a heavy-bottomed 
  casserole for 2 minutes over medium heat. Turn heat to very low, cover and 
  continue cooking 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover the pot and 
  raise heat to medium high. Add the beef, veal, mushrooms, salt and pepper. 
  Cook, stirring constantly, until the meats just begin to lose their raw red 
  color. Then pour on the wine and cook until it is entirely evaporated. Set 
  a food mill with the medium blade over the pot and mill in the tomatoes. 
  Stir everything together and simmer, covered for 40 minutes. If possible, 
  complete preparation to this point several hours in advance, or even the 
  night before you plan to use the sauce. Take it off the stove and let it 
  cool if not serving immediately. Transfer to container. Cover and 
  refrigerate. The sauce may also be made to this point and frozen. Shortly 
  before serving time, bring the sauce slowly to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes. 
  Stir in the heavy cream and serve immediately over freshly cooked pasta, 
  passing parmigiano and a pepper mill. To serve ragu in smaller quantities, 
  heat about 1/2 cup of sauce per person and stir in 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons 
  cream per serving. 
   
  TOM MARESCA AND DIANE DARROW - PRODIGY GUEST CHEFS COOKBOOK