Beef And Pork Bolognese Recipe

Prep

Finely dice onion, carrot, and celery so they measure about the listed amounts. Mince garlic. Chop pancetta. Measure out liquids and canned tomatoes.

Sweat aromatics

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat until the butter foams. Add chopped pancetta and cook 2–3 minutes until it starts to render fat. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery. Season lightly with a pinch of salt. Cook gently, stirring, 8–10 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned.

Add garlic and brown meat

Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground beef and ground pork in batches, breaking up with a spoon. Brown the meat thoroughly, 6–8 minutes, until no pink remains and some fond forms on the pan. Use a spoon to scrape browned bits into the mixture. If the pan gets too dry and starts to stick, add a splash (1–2 tbsp) of stock or water.

Tomato paste and deglaze

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to develop its flavor. Pour in the dry red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by about half, 3–4 minutes.

Add milk and simmer

Pour in the milk and simmer gently 4–5 minutes; this softens the acidity and tenderizes meat. Add crushed tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, dried oregano, thyme (if using), sugar (if using), salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Long, gentle simmer

Bring the sauce to a low simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a very gentle simmer (barely bubbling). Partially cover and cook for 1.5–2 hours, stirring every 15–20 minutes and crushing tomatoes with the spoon as needed. If sauce reduces too much, add up to 1/2 cup extra stock or water. Taste after 1 hour and adjust salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Boil pasta water

About 20 minutes before the sauce is ready (or when sauce has about 20 minutes left), bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the tablespoon of salt.

Cook pasta

Add the spaghetti alla chitarra and cook according to package instructions until al dente (usually 8–10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Cook peas

While pasta cooks, place frozen peas in a small saucepan with 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water or plain water. Bring to a simmer for 2–3 minutes until tender and bright green. Drain and set aside. Alternatively, you can add peas to the pasta pot in the final minute of cooking and then drain together.

Combine pasta with sauce

Return the drained pasta to the pot or a large sauté pan over low heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Spoon in 1.5–2 cups of the Bolognese sauce and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen and create a silky emulsion (use 1/4 to 1/2 cup as needed). Add the cooked peas and toss to combine. Heat just until everything is hot and well combined (1–2 minutes).

Finish

Turn off the heat. Stir in half of the grated Parmesan and the remaining tablespoon of butter into the pasta and sauce to add richness and creaminess. Toss to combine. If the sauce tastes a touch flat, add a small pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon (optional).

Serve

Divide pasta among warmed plates. Spoon additional Bolognese on top if desired. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan, chopped parsley, and a grind of freshly ground black pepper over each portion. Serve immediately.