Hazelnut ragù (ragù di nocciole)

An unusual recipe where toasted hazelnuts replace minced meat. I discovered this idea online, but there is not much information about it – I suspect this is a relatively modern recipe.
The chopped hazelnuts lose their crunchiness, and, with the support of tomatoes, dried ceps, spices and red wine, become a deeply flavoured sauce, as satisfying as a conventional meat ragu’. 
This really is a sumptuous condiment for pasta and polenta, which happens to be vegan.  

I cooked it in my Khun Rikon pressure cooker for about thirty minutes: otherwise if using a conventional, heavy pot like a Le Creuset, it will take a couple of hours. 

Hazelnut ragù (ragù di nocciole)
8-10 portions

Two sticks of celery and some of their leaves, finely chopped
one small onion, finely chopped
half a carrot, finely chopped
one clove of garlic, finely chopped 
two fresh leaves of bay, scrunched to release their aroma
one sprig of rosemary, finely chopped, about a teaspoon 
one large leaf of sage, finely chopped
a small handful of dried ceps, soaked in warm water, drained, squeezed dry and finely chopped (reserving their soaking water), about 10 g
one clove, powdered, a pinch of cinnamon and one of coriander, a grating of nutmeg
a tablespoon of tomato paste
200 g of roasted hazelnuts, coarsely and irregularly chopped (do taste them before using them: they go rancid easily)
one 400 g tin tomato pulp (I use Mutti)
400 g tomato passata
a glass of red wine, about 100 ml

Extra virgin olive oil

Warm up your pot on medium.
When nice and hot, film the bottom with oil and add the chopped vegetables, the herbs and a pinch of salt. Give everything a good stir, lower the heat and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender.
Raise the heat and add the mushrooms, the spices and the tomato paste. After about thirty seconds, add the hazelnuts and stir to coat them in the flavoured base.
Add the mushroom water, avoiding any grit, the tomato pulp and the passata. Salt very lightly.
Lock the lid, raise the heat to maximum and bring the pot to high pressure. Lower the heat to the lowest possible setting to be able to maintain high pressure and cook for thirty minutes. If cooking conventionally, simmer with the lid on, but leaving a gap, for about two hours.
Let the pressure drop naturally, stir and add the wine. Simmer, uncovered for about twenty minutes. Do the same, if you use a conventional pot.

Let the ragù rest for at least one hour. Taste it to check if it needs some more black pepper and nutmeg – I think this sauce benefits from hefty spicing

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