Bolognese Recipe
braised beef, pork sausage, marinara, ricotta, parmesan, pecorino, local basil & trumpet pasta
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Ingredients
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Meat Ragù
Pasta & Finishes
Method
Meat Ragù
- 1
Prepare aromatics
Heat a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter. When butter foams, add diced onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- 2
Brown meats
Increase heat to medium-high. Add chopped pancetta (if using) and cook 2–3 minutes until it releases fat. Add ground beef and removed-from-casing pork sausage in batches, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Cook until meat is no longer pink and begins to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Do not overcrowd; brown rather than steam.
- 3
Tomato concentrate and deglaze
Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, stirring, until the paste darkens slightly. Pour in white wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.
- 4
Add tomatoes and simmer
Add crushed tomatoes, stock, milk, bay leaf, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low so the sauce barely bubbles. Partially cover and simmer gently for 1.5–2 hours, stirring every 15–20 minutes. If sauce becomes too thick, add up to 1/2 cup water or stock to loosen.
- 5
Finish ragù
About 10 minutes before serving, remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If you want a silkier sauce, stir in the whole milk and simmer 5–10 minutes to meld flavors and soften acidity.
Pasta & Assembly
- 6
Cook pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a robust boil. Salt the water with the indicated kosher salt. Add trumpet pasta and cook until just shy of al dente (follow package for time minus 1–2 minutes), about 9–11 minutes depending on pasta. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
- 7
Combine pasta and ragù
Return drained pasta to the pot or a wide sauté pan over low heat. Spoon 2 cups of the ragù into the pan and toss with pasta, adding a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky coating. Cook together 1–2 minutes to marry flavors. Add extra-virgin olive oil and toss.
- 8
Plate with cheeses and basil
Divide pasta among 4 plates (see servings). Dollop 1/4 cup of ricotta onto each portion, then sprinkle with grated Parmesan and Pecorino Romano. Scatter torn basil leaves over the top and finish with freshly ground black pepper to taste. If desired, ladle additional ragù alongside each portion.
