Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese Recipe

Prepare vegetables and aromatics

Finely dice the onion, carrot and celery (soffritto). Mince the garlic. Chop the pancetta into small pieces.

Sweat soffritto and pancetta

In a large heavy-bottomed sauté pan or Dutch oven, heat 3 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter over medium heat until butter melts. Add the pancetta and cook 2–3 minutes until it releases fat. Add the diced onion, carrot and celery and a pinch of salt. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and translucent, about 8–10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Brown the meat

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the ground veal and ground pork (if using) to the pan. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon and spread into an even layer. Let it brown without stirring for 2 minutes, then stir and continue to brown until no pink remains, about 6–8 minutes total. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Develop flavor with tomato paste and deglaze

Stir in 2 tbs tomato paste and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the paste darkens slightly. Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.

Add milk and simmer gently

Pour in 1/2 cup whole milk and stir. Let it simmer gently for 4–5 minutes so the milk is mostly absorbed; this rounds the acidity and softens the meat.

Add tomatoes, stock and herbs

Add 8 oz crushed San Marzano tomatoes, 1.5 cups low-sodium stock, 1 bay leaf and 1 tbs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried). Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low so the sauce barely simmers.

Long, slow simmer

Partially cover the pot and simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, for 1.5 to 2 hours until the sauce is thick, flavorful and the oil separates slightly. Add extra stock or a splash of water if the sauce becomes too dry. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Cook tagliatelle

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tbs salt. Add 12 oz dried tagliatelle and cook according to package instructions until al dente (typically 8–10 minutes) — if using fresh pasta, cook 2–3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, leaving it slightly moist.

Finish pasta in sauce

Add the drained pasta to the ragù pan (off the heat if sauce is very hot) and toss to combine. Add 1/4–1/2 cup reserved pasta water as needed to loosen and bind the sauce to the pasta. Cook together over low heat for 1–2 minutes until the sauce clings to the tagliatelle and the pasta is perfectly coated.

Serve

Plate portions and sprinkle generously with 3/4 cup finely grated 24-month Parmigiano-Reggiano. Finish with 1 tbs chopped parsley and a drizzle of 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil if desired. Offer additional grated Parmigiano at the table.