The Italian word ‘ragu’ is borrowed from the French ragoût, which refers to a stew more than a meat sauce and derives from a term that means ‘to awaken the appetite’. The main thing these two different preparations share, other than the name, is slow cooking. And it is, indeed, a not-so-secret secret that the longer you cook a ragu, the better it will be.
In southern Tuscany, the more traditional word sugo (literally, ‘sauce’) is preferred to describe ragu or any vegetable sauce that is destined for coating pasta, whether sugo al pomodoro (tomato sauce) or sugo finto (‘fake’ sauce). Sugo maremmano is the best sauce for Tortelli maremmani, large ravioli of ricotta and spinach; but it’s also a classic for eating with pasta, long or short. It’s made of a mixture of meats, such as sausage meat and minced (ground) pork and beef. Traditionally, using less expensive, homegrown pork and sausage was a way to add volume to the ragu. It is also an extra tasty combination that Maremmans love.
It’s a good idea to prepare this sauce the day before you want to serve it. The extra resting time, with flavours mingling, means it tastes even better the next day.