White Ragù

Method

1. Finely dice carrot, celery, and onion for the soffritto.
2. Sauté the soffritto in extra virgin olive oil until golden, then remove and set aside.
3. In the same pan, add a bit more oil and add the ground veal. Use a whisk to break up the meat and let it brown and dry out for about 10 minutes without salting.
4. Deglaze with white wine, scraping the fond from the bottom. Cook until the alcohol evaporates.
5. Season with salt and pepper, add the reserved soffritto vegetables and thyme.
6. Add broth (or hot water) to cover the meat. Simmer for about 1 hour.
7. Meanwhile, trim and slice the pioppini mushrooms.
8. In a separate pan, sauté a clove of garlic in oil, then add the mushrooms and cook over high heat. Season with salt only at the end.
9. After 1 hour, remove the thyme. Dissolve cornstarch in a little warm broth, add to the ragù, and stir to thicken.
10. Add the cooked mushrooms to the ragù and cook for a couple of minutes.
11. Optionally, stir in fresh mint (mentuccia).
12. Cook the pasta (casarecce or similar) al dente, then combine with the ragù, adding some pasta water to create a creamy sauce.
13. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and garnish with fresh mint leaves.