Pasta Bolognaise Recipe
house ground beef & pork ragu, grated parmesan, bucatini noodles, herbs
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Ingredients
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Ragu
Pasta & Finish
Method
Ragu
- 1
- 2
Sweat aromatics
Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter. Once butter melts and foams, add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown.
- 3
Brown the meat
Increase heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef and ground pork to the pan, breaking into small pieces with a spoon or spatula. Season with 1/2 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp of the black pepper. Cook until no longer pink and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Tilt the pan and spoon off any excess fat if there's more than about 1 tablespoon (leave some for flavor).
- 4
Develop flavor
Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Simmer until the wine has mostly reduced, about 2–3 minutes.
- 5
Simmer the ragu
Add the crushed tomatoes, stock, milk, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover and simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, for 30–40 minutes to meld flavors. If sauce becomes too thick, add up to 1/4 cup water or stock. Taste and adjust seasoning near the end; remove bay leaf before serving.
Pasta & Finish
- 6
Boil pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the bucatini and cook until just shy of al dente according to package directions (usually 1–2 minutes less than package time), reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- 7
Finish pasta with ragu
Add the drained bucatini to the ragu pan (off heat if sauce is very hot) along with 1/4–1/2 cup reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Toss gently over low heat for 1–2 minutes so the pasta absorbs the sauce and finishes cooking. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil; taste and adjust salt and pepper. If sauce seems dry, add more reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time.
- 8