Sauce for the Turkey

DEAR SOS: Can you obtain the recipe for the rigatoni ragu served at Giovanni’s Trattoria in Culver City? It’s made with ground chicken and turkey in a delicious tomato sauce that knocks your socks off. Thanks.

JAMIE WALLACE

Culver City

DEAR JAMIE: Owner Giovanni Prinzo provided this recipe for the tomato-based chicken-turkey sauce. It’s an excellent, somewhat less caloric, substitute for red meat sauce.

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Giovanni’s Chicken and Turkey Ragu

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

1 onion, quartered

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 pound ground turkey

3/4 pound ground chicken

Salt, pepper

1 cup white wine

3 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes

4 or 5 bay leaves

* Combine onion, celery and carrot in blender or food processor until finely minced.

* Melt butter with olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and vegetables and saute until lightly browned, 10 minutes.

* Add turkey and chicken. Cook and stir until meat is no longer pink, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to high and stir in wine. Cook until wine evaporates, 5 minutes.

* Puree tomatoes in food processor in batches. Add to meat mixture. Add bay leaves. Cover and cook over low heat 1 hour. Uncover and continue to cook until sauce reaches medium-thick consistency, 1 to 1 1/2 hours more. Stir occasionally during cooking.

8 servings. Each serving: 263 calories; 638 mg sodium; 59 mg cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 17 grams protein; 1.6 gram fiber.

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Plate from The Dish Factory Inc., Los Angeles and Colton. Tablecloth from Mise en Place, Los Feliz, and Room With a View, Santa Monica.