Tagliatelle al Ragù (Bolognese)
A slow-simmered meat sauce built on a soffritto of onion, carrot, and celery, mellowed with milk and wine — tossed with fresh egg tagliatelle, not spaghetti.
Meat
⚠ Contains: Gluten, Egg, Dairy. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 500g fresh tagliatelle (egg pasta)
- 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, very finely chopped (soffritto)
- 50g pancetta, diced
- 500g ground beef (or a mix of beef and pork)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp tomato paste (or 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes)
- 2 tbsp butter, plus more to finish
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
- Parmesan, grated, to serve
Steps
- Heat butter and olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until it renders its fat.
- Add the soffritto (onion, carrot, celery) and cook slowly for 10-15 minutes, until very soft and fragrant, without browning.
- Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until deeply browned, about 15-20 minutes.
- Pour in the white wine and let it fully evaporate.
- Stir in the tomato paste and enough water or stock to just cover the meat. Bring to a bare simmer.
- Cook uncovered on the lowest possible heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if it dries out.
- Toward the end of cooking, stir in the milk to soften the acidity and round out the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the tagliatelle in salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain, reserving some pasta water.
- Toss the pasta with the ragù and a knob of butter, adding a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen. Serve with grated Parmesan.