Matuffi di Lucca with ragù are a typical polenta preparation from my city Lucca, an autumn and winter recipe that warms the heart. It is a dish composed of layers of polenta alternated with layers of ragù. A great dinner saver, you can consider it a single dish if you prepare a nice plate; in small quantities, it is also excellent as an appetizer. The polenta in this recipe must be soft and velvety like a cream; in fact, it should not have the same cooking as classic polenta.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Slow cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for Matuffi di Lucca with Ragù
- 10.5 oz ground beef
- 21 oz fine tomato pulp
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 stalk celery
- to taste oregano
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 2 leaves bay leaf (optional)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- 1.1 cups cornmeal
- 6.3 cups water
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste coarse salt
- to taste grated Parmesan cheese
Tools
- 1 Tall-sided saucepan
- 1 Pot
- 1 Spoon
Preparation of Matuffi di Lucca with Ragù
Let’s see how to prepare the matuffi.
First, chop the carrot, onion, and celery and sauté with a little oil; add the ground meat and brown it until it changes color, then pour in the white wine and let it evaporate. Add the salt, oregano, and tomato, and cook over low heat for about 90 minutes; 20 minutes before the end of cooking, add the bay leaf, if you don’t like it, you can leave it out. Adjust the salt as needed, and add a little water or more tomato if necessary, as it should not be dry.
When the ragù is halfway cooked, prepare the polenta. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil, then add the salt and 2 tablespoons of oil to prevent lumps, and gradually add the cornmeal, stirring continuously with a spoon or whisk. Cook over very low heat, stirring continuously for the time indicated on your cornmeal package, considering that for matuffi the polenta should be soft and smooth, not hard, so add a little more water if needed. When ready, take the plates and put a spoonful of ragù, then a ladle of polenta, more ragù with a sprinkle of Parmesan, more polenta, and again ragù and Parmesan until you reach the desired layers; I usually make 3. For the last layer, add plenty of ragù and Parmesan, and you can drizzle with a little oil if you like. The matuffi are ready to be served.
Notes
You can also make the ragù with your own recipe; the important thing is to have it more liquid and not dry to moisten the polenta. If you’re short on time, I recommend preparing the ragù in advance and reheating it when you are making the polenta. If you have leftover matuffi, store them in the fridge covered with plastic wrap until the next day; just reheat them and optionally add a little more ragù.
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FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I prepare matuffi with other condiments?
Of course, matuffi can be prepared with many condiments, with tomato, with mushrooms, with wild boar ragù; it’s very versatile as long as the sauce is quite moist.
