Chocolate in ragu?! MasterChef star’s unlikely secrets to a perfect slow-cooked sauce.
As the weather is getting cooler, there is nothing better than warming up with a comforting ragu sauce.
Slow-cooked for hours with any protein of your choice and paired perfectly with carbs, the depth of flavour that can be achieved with the right ingredients is unmatched.
Like any dish, it’s often the most unexpected additions that can make all of the difference, that’s where MasterChef Australia star Antonio Cruz Vaamonde comes in.
For the first time, he is sharing his best-kept secrets to achieving a restaurant-quality ragu through his partnership with IGA.
“We know pasta is a household staple, and it can feel repetitive from time to time, that’s why I’ve pulled together my favourite quick tips to add extra depth and new flavours to a classic sauce,” the 2023 alumnus shared.
“They’re interchangeable, easy to follow and use ingredients you likely already have at home.
“I believe cooking should be both joyous and experimental – it’s about trying something new and having fun.”
And you likely have these ingredients already in your cupboard.
For instance, chocolate. Yes, you read that right – chocolate in a ragu.
“Rest assured, this doesn’t make it sweet, it just adds more depth,” Antonio assured, suggesting one to two small squares of 70 per cent dark chocolate.
He also recommends adding ground cinnamon or allspice to bring more warmth to your sauce, and that your recipe has acidity to balance the rich flavours and meat fats. For this, anything acidic works, such as red wine vinegar.
To further enrich the sauce, add anywhere between a third of a cup and half a cup of milk in the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking.
“This is one of my favourite techniques, and it’s also easily transferable to other pasta sauces like bolognese,” he added.
Another cost-saving hack is repurposing your Parmesan rind. When added, it acts as a “slow-release flavour bomb”.
Finally, make sure you allow the tomato pasta to cook out properly and darken, because this removes the rawness. It might take a few extra minutes, but it makes all the difference.
