10Napoli sausagesor any other coarse pork and fennel sausages
200mlRed wine
2400g/14oz tinned whole plum tomatoesblitzed or mashed
100gParmesangrated
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 140°C fan/325°F/gas mark 3.
Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a saucepan over a medium heat. Warm and then add the onions, garlic, bay, rosemary and thyme. Cook for 20 minutes until the onions soften.
While the onions are cooking, brown the sausages in a frying pan with the rest of the oil and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a tray. Deglaze the pan with red wine to get all the goodness from the sausages and add the delicious red wine/sausage juice into the onion pan.
Cook for a few minutes and then add in the tinned tomatoes. Rinse the tin out with water and add that to the pan too.
Slice the sausages into 2cm/ ¾ in-thick slices and add to the pan. Turn down to a simmer and cook for a minimum of 3 hours. The longer and slower you cook the ragu, the richer and fuller it will taste. Stir from time to time to scrape the bottom. If it’s catching, add a glug of water and stir again. You want the ragu to reduce and thicken.
I always leave the seasoning right to the end. As the ragu cooks and reduces, the flavour will intensify so it’s best to check the seasoning once it’s finished cooking.