Italian ragù is typically made with meat, but cod tripe makes for a spectacular seafood version: its gelatin thickens the sauce, and wide pappardelle pasta catches it perfectly. Slow cooking, good tomatoes, and a couple of hours of patience transform a humble cut into a trattoria dish.
A slow-cooked ragù where the cod tripe melts into strands that blend with the tomato sauce and tangle with the wide pasta. A dish that looks like meat but is cod. It will surprise everyone.
Ingredients
- 500 g cod tripe (we use Extra Shredded Desalted Cod - 500g)
- 400 g pappardelle (or tagliatelle)
- 400 g crushed tomatoes
- 1 finely chopped onion
- 1 finely chopped carrot
- 1 finely chopped celery stalk
- 100 ml white wine
- 3 cloves garlic
- Olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh basil
Step-by-step preparation
- Cod Tripe Blanch and cut into thin strips.
- Soffritto Sauté onion, carrot, and celery in oil over low heat for 15 minutes (the secret to a good ragù).
- Ragù Increase heat, add cod tripe, and brown for 3 minutes. Pour in white wine, reduce. Add tomatoes, garlic, and a glass of water. Lower heat and cook, covered, for 35-40 minutes. The cod tripe should fall apart.
- Pasta Cook the pappardelle al dente. Drain, reserving a glass of cooking water. Add the pasta to the ragù with a splash of the water. Stir off the heat.
- Serve Fresh basil, a drizzle of raw oil. Don't add cheese — it doesn't need it.
Buy it at BacalaloExtra Shredded Desalted Cod - 500g€19.97 · 24-48h refrigerated shipping →Frequently asked questions
Why pappardelle and not another pasta?
Pappardelle is wide and rough: it traps thick ragù much better than thin pasta. Tagliatelle or good rigatoni also work.
How long does the ragù need to cook?
Between 1 and 2 hours over very low heat. The slower it cooks, the more the tripe melts and the more concentrated the sauce's flavor becomes.
Does it contain cheese?
A little grated Parmesan when serving binds and enhances, but sparingly so as not to overpower the seafood flavor of the ragù.
