Grandmothers can be unconventional in different ways. 89 year old Licia Fertz has a late career as a model and Instagram influencer. And she also has her way of doing things when it comes to pasta! Here she makes a summer version of fettuccine al ragu.
For the ragu, you will need
800g minced beef
one onion, finely chopped
1 whole garlic
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
3 tablespoons of chopped herbs including: oregano, lemon thyme, sage, rosemary, mint, basil, marjoram, plus a sprig of rosemary for the end.
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt, cayenne to taste
400ml tomato passata
Licia does not make a soffrito (ie fries the onion and celery first). She adds the onion, celery, meat, herbs, salt and oil to a casserole pan. She covers the mixture with water and simmers it very very gently for 2 and half hours, topping up the water when necessary. Then she adds the tomato passata, and cooks it for another 30 minutes. For the final 10 minutes, she adds the sprig of rosemary.
For the pasta, use 100g semolina flour, 200g 00 flour and 3 eggs.
If you want to see what she does on Instagram, check out @Liciafertz