Gargati with spring ragu (il consiero)

5 from 26 votes

Gargati with spring ragu (il consiero)

This traditional gargati pasta with a mixed meat and spring vegetable ragu recipe from Veneto is made with different white meats and fresh seasonal spring veggies. It's a delicious one plate meal that all the family will love!

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Northern Italy, Veneto

Keyword: asparagus, fresh pasta, gargati, Italian recipe, pasta recipe, peas, ragu, spring recipe

Servings:

Calories: 775kcal

Author: Jacqui

Ingredients

400 g gargati pasta (14oz) or other pasta tubes
120 g pork tenderloin (4oz)
120 g veal tenderloin (4oz)
120 g chicken breast (4oz)
60 g lardo (cured pork fatback) (2oz) or fatty bacon or guanciale
1 onion peeled and finely chopped
2 shallots peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot washed and finely chopped
500 g fresh green asparagus (17oz)
250 g fresh peas (9oz) or 150g frozen (6oz)
1 handful fresh herbs ( rosemary, sage, marjoram)
½ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
1-2 bay leaves
½ glass white wine
1-2 tablespoon tomato concentrate (paste)
1 cup beef or chicken stock
salt for pasta and to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Parmigiano or Grana cheese grated (as required)

Instructions

Wash the asparagus and remove the hard end of the stalk. You can do this by gently bending the asparagus and it should break naturally in the right place. Using kitchen string tie the asparagus into bundles of about 8. If using fresh peas shell them.
Coarsely cut the meats and the lardo into small pieces. Peel and finely chop the onion and shallots. Wash and finely chop the carrot. Wash and chop the herbs. Leave the bay leaves whole.
Fry the onion, carrot and shallots with the lardo in a little olive oil until everything starts to soften and the lardo starts to melt. Then add the coarsely cut meats, raise the heat and sauté over a high heat until the meat has started to brown.
Add the chopped herbs, bay leaves, grated nutmeg and sprinkle with a generous splash of wine. When the wine has evaporated, add the tomato paste. If using fresh peas add them now. Mix everything together. Season with salt and pepper and reduce heat to a simmer.
From time to time, pour in small amounts of boiling broth and stir. Let the sauce cook until the meat is soft, about 15-20 minutes. If using frozen peas add them 5 minutes before the end. When the sauce is ready remove the bay leaves.
Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil
Cook the asparagus in the boiling pasta water. Remove when cooked (about 5-10 minutes) then add the pasta to the same water and cook al dente according to the instructions on the packet.
Drain the pasta and mix it with the sauce. Serve immediately with whole asparagus or cut the asparagus and mix the pieces into the sauce and pasta. Serve with grated Parmigiano or grana if required.

Notes

You can other pasta for this gargati with spring ragu recipe. Since gargati is pasta tubes, I would suggest using other smallish tubes such as ditali, sedani, elbow macaroni or even penne.

You can also use other meats such as turkey, beef or sausage. Instead of the lardo use guanciale, pancetta or fatty bacon.

Nutrition