Tortellini Bolognese Recipe
Ground beef, red wine, pecorino cream and tomato ragu
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Ingredients
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Tortellini & finishing
Bolognese ragu
Pecorino cream
Garnish (optional)
Method
Bolognese ragu
- 1
- 2
Render pancetta and sweat aromatics
Heat a large sauté pan or shallow Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the chopped pancetta. Cook 3–4 minutes until translucent and just beginning to brown. Add the diced onion, carrot and celery and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 8–10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- 3
Brown the beef
Increase heat to medium-high, push vegetables to the side, add the ground beef to the pan. Break into small pieces and brown without crowding, about 5–7 minutes, until no pink remains. Stir together with the vegetables and drain any excess fat if there is more than 1 tablespoon.
- 4
Deglaze and build sauce
Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to remove raw flavor. Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer 2–3 minutes until wine is reduced by about half.
- 5
Simmer ragu
Add crushed tomatoes, beef broth, dried oregano, dried thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Stir to combine, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially and cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 6
Finish with milk
Stir in the milk or half-and-half and continue simmering, uncovered, another 10 minutes to meld flavors and slightly thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaf.
Pecorino cream
- 7
Warm cream and melt cheese
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the heavy cream and butter. Warm gently (do not boil) until steaming. Remove from heat and whisk in the finely grated Pecorino Romano until smooth and slightly thickened. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Keep warm on the lowest heat or in a warm spot; the sauce will be combined with the ragu and pasta.
Tortellini & finishing
- 8
Cook tortellini
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (about 1 tbs salt per 4 quarts). Add the tortellini and cook according to package instructions until al dente (usually 3–4 minutes for fresh). Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the tortellini.
- 9
Combine ragu and Pecorino cream
With the ragu simmering on low, stir the warm Pecorino cream into the ragu until incorporated. If the combined sauce is too thick, add up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water or broth to loosen to a silky, spoonable consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- 10
Toss pasta with sauce
Add the drained tortellini to the pan with the ragu-cream mixture. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and gently toss for 1–2 minutes over low heat so the tortellini are coated and heated through. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to create a glossy emulsion.
- 11
Serve
Divide tortellini Bolognese among warm bowls. Finish with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Pecorino Romano, a crack of black pepper, and optional chiffonade of basil. Serve immediately.