Ragù Pugliese della Domenica – Our Family Sunday Ragù

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over very low heat. Add the onion and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent but not browned.

Add the beef and raise the heat slightly. Brown the chunks on all sides.

Add 8 g salt, approximately 0.8% of the beef's weight.

Pour in the red wine and let it reduce until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Add the passata and approximately 500 ml water, using the water to rinse the passata jars and collect the remaining tomato.

Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover and simmer slowly for 3–5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened.

Taste near the end of cooking and add more salt if needed. If the sauce is too thin, continue simmering uncovered until it reaches the desired consistency.

Serve the sauce over pasta, such as orecchiette or fresh semolina tagliatelle, and serve the beef separately as a secondo piatto.