In Italy, ragù simply refers to a slow-cooked meat sauce. Bolognese—ragù alla Bolognese—is just one regional variation that originated in Bologna and traditionally incorporates tomatoes, wine, milk, and finely minced meat simmered low and slow until deeply rich and complex. But some of the most beautiful ragù dishes in Italy contain little or no tomato at all. This version uses axis deer simply because that’s what I happened to have in the freezer, but this sauce works beautifully with almost any species of venison.