Rigatoni Bolognese Recipe
Slow-cooked beef and pork ragù, fresh pasta, finished with crunchy breadcrumbs
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Ingredients
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Ragù (meat sauce)
Pasta & finishing
Crunchy Breadcrumbs
Method
Ragù (meat sauce)
Warm fat and sweat aromatics
Heat a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 3 tbs olive oil and 2 tbs butter. When butter stops foaming, add finely diced onion, carrot and celery. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 8–10 minutes. Add minced garlic and chopped pancetta and cook 2–3 minutes until pancetta releases fat and garlic is fragrant.
Brown the meat
Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground beef and ground pork in batches so the pan isn't crowded. Break meat apart with a wooden spoon and brown until no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes total. Let browned meat sit a moment before stirring so it gets a little color. Season with 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp of the salt while browning.
Deglaze with wine and tomato paste
Add 1 cup dry white wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let wine reduce by about half, 4–6 minutes. Stir in 3 tbs tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, to caramelize the paste and deepen flavor.
Simmer low and slow
Add 400 g crushed tomatoes and 1 cup beef stock. Stir in bay leaf, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried), remaining 0.5 tsp salt, and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low so the sauce barely bubbles. Partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up any large pieces, for at least 1.5–2 hours. If sauce looks too thick, add up to 1/2 cup hot water or stock. Taste after 90 minutes and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaf before finishing.
Finish ragù
When the ragù is rich and thick, stir in an extra tablespoon of butter (optional) and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan to round the flavor. Keep sauce warm while you cook the pasta. If the ragù will sit longer, cool slightly and refrigerate; reheat gently and add a splash of stock to loosen.
While the ragù simmers or when you begin the final 20 minutes, make the breadcrumbs. Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add 2 tbs olive oil. Add 1 cup day-old breadcrumbs and toast, stirring frequently, until golden and crisp, about 5–7 minutes. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Remove from heat and rub with the cut side of 1 halved garlic clove to infuse a subtle garlic flavor. Set aside.
Pasta & finishing
Cook the rigatoni
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil (about 1 tbs salt per 4 liters). Add 400 g rigatoni and cook according to package instructions until al dente (usually 11–13 minutes for dry rigatoni; less for fresh — 2–4 minutes). Reserve 1.5 cups of the pasta cooking water before draining.
Combine pasta and ragù
Return the drained rigatoni to the pot or a large sauté pan over low heat. Add enough ragù to coat the pasta generously (about 3–4 cups, depending on preference). Toss gently, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to reach a silky, clingy consistency so sauce adheres to the rigatoni, about 1–2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and 2 tbsp chopped parsley; check seasoning and add salt/pepper as needed.