Penne a la Salvia

(Penne with White Veal Ragu)

Serves 6

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 4 whole celery stalks, cleaned and chopped
• 2 lbs. ground veal
• 4 oz ground prosciutto
• 1 tsp. ground netmeg
• Salt and black pepper
• 15 leaves fresh sage
• Chicken broth to taste
• 1-1/2 cups white wine
• 1 cup milk
• Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley (to finish the dish)

Melt the butter in a large casserole or roasting pan.  Ad the olive oil, then the onions, carrots and celery.  Let it sweat until the water is evaporated.  Add the veal and the prosciutto and saute the meats until dry.  Add the nutmeg, pepper, sage, 1 tsp. chicken broth and wine.  Let the wine evaporate, then add the milk and simmer for approximately 2 hours.  If ragu dries up too much, add a little more chicken broth or water.  Be careful – chicken broth is very salty and should be used instead of salt.  Put on large kitchen serving spoon of sauce per person in a saute pan.  Add chicken stock or water from the pasta cooker and 2 leaves of fresh sage.  Strain the pasta and drop it in the pan with the sauce, adding 1 tbsp. butter and 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese.  Sprinkle with some chopped parsley and serve.