Tagliatelle Pasta Alla Bolognese Recipe

Prepare aromatics

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When butter has melted and begins to foam, add the diced onion, carrot and celery. Sauté gently for 8–10 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic and pancetta

Add the minced garlic and chopped pancetta to the pan. Cook for 3–4 minutes until pancetta renders its fat and garlic is fragrant.

Brown the meat

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef and ground pork in batches, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until the meat loses its pink color and begins to brown in spots, about 6–8 minutes. Do not overcrowd; brown rather than steam. Season with 1 tsp of the salt and about 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Add milk

Pour in the whole milk and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until almost completely reduced — about 8–10 minutes. This step softens the acidity later and enriches the ragù.

Deglaze with wine

Increase heat slightly and add the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine reduce by about half, 4–5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and simmer

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, bay leaf and dried oregano. Add the remaining salt (about 1/2 tsp) and the optional sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low so the sauce barely bubbles. Partially cover and let simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring every 15–20 minutes and adding a splash of stock or water if it gets too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning toward the end.

Finish ragù

When the ragù is thick, rich and flavors have melded, remove the bay leaf. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If sauce seems too acidic, stir in a teaspoon more sugar or a small knob of butter to round flavors.

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt. Add the tagliatelle and cook until al dente according to package directions (usually 7–9 minutes for dried; 2–3 minutes for fresh). Reserve about 150 ml (about 2/3 cup) of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, leaving it slightly wet.

Combine pasta with ragù

Return the drained pasta to the pot or a wide sauté pan over low heat. Add 2–3 ladlefuls of the ragù and about 3–4 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Toss gently to coat, then add more sauce and/or cooking water as needed until the noodles are evenly coated and the texture is silky. Heat through for 1–2 minutes so flavors marry.

Serve

Divide tagliatelle among warmed plates. Spoon additional ragù on top. Generously grate Parmigiano Reggiano over each serving and sprinkle with chopped parsley if using. Finish with a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.