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Having cooked for years in some of the best kitchens in Bologna, I know a pot of ragù will always be simmering in most restaurants and homes. There are as many versions of Ragù Bolognese as there are versions of tomato sauce and pizza! Everyone is raised learning how to make ragù at home.
Each chef has his or her secret mix of ingredients, especially the combination of meats. Some begin sautéing only pork, some mix pork with veal or beef, others add ground poultry or even flavor their ragù with minced chicken livers! This is followed by chefs deglazing with red or white wine, while others pour in a touch of milk or cream near the end of cooking. The purists do none of the above keeping it as simple as possible, with only the flavors of the basic ingredients simmering to perfection.
So, use this classic recipe as your springboard for your own personal style of ragù. Try whatever appeals to you, and above all, have fun! Every time you make ragù, you can change the ingredients as you wish, but the "fun" part is what will transform and elevate your ragù. As long as you follow the few simple rules of: cooking in a deep pot, sautéing coarsely ground meat (not finely ground) and simmering for a long time, you'll love the results and your kitchen certainly will be filled with the most heavenly aromas.
Making ragù requires 2 elements from you ~ patience & passion. You cannot hurry this process. You must coax out the inherent sweetness within each ingredient. Put patience within your passion and enjoy the cooking ~ every step, every aroma, and finally the moment of taste, knowing that YOU made this great ragù.
Serves 8 as a primo piatto
40 ounces fresh tagliatelle (5 ounces per person)
or 32 ounces dried tagliatelle (4 ounces per person)
Tagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese
Tagliatelle with Ragù, Bologna-Style
Tagliatelle with Ragù, Bologna-Style
La Misura Aurea della Tagliatella was decreed April 16, 1972 by the Delegation of Bologna, who deposited with La Camera di
Commercio a sample in gold of the exact measurement for tagliatelle: 8 mm. misura della Tagliatella. This 8 mm. width is the
cooked width of Tagliatella (that is 6.5-7 mm. raw width) and this corresponds to being 12270ths of the height of Torre Asinelli.
Having cooked for years in some of the best kitchens in Bologna, I know a pot of ragù will always be simmering in most restaurants and homes. There are as many versions of Ragù Bolognese as there are versions of tomato sauce and pizza! Everyone is raised learning how to make ragù at home.
Each chef has his or her secret mix of ingredients, especially the combination of meats. Some begin sautéing only pork, some mix pork with veal or beef, others add ground poultry or even flavor their ragù with minced chicken livers! This is followed by chefs deglazing with red or white wine, while others pour in a touch of milk or cream near the end of cooking. The purists do none of the above keeping it as simple as possible, with only the flavors of the basic ingredients simmering to perfection.
So, use this classic recipe as your springboard for your own personal style of ragù. Try whatever appeals to you, and above all, have fun! Every time you make ragù, you can change the ingredients as you wish, but the "fun" part is what will transform and elevate your ragù. As long as you follow the few simple rules of: cooking in a deep pot, sautéing coarsely ground meat (not finely ground) and simmering for a long time, you'll love the results and your kitchen certainly will be filled with the most heavenly aromas.
Making ragù requires 2 elements from you ~ patience & passion. You cannot hurry this process. You must coax out the inherent sweetness within each ingredient. Put patience within your passion and enjoy the cooking ~ every step, every aroma, and finally the moment of taste, knowing that YOU made this great ragù.
Serves 8 as a primo piatto
40 ounces fresh tagliatelle (5 ounces per person)
or 32 ounces dried tagliatelle (4 ounces per person)
Makes 4 1/2 cups ragù
-
sunflower oil or extra-virgin olive oil
-
1/3
cup diced carrot
-
1/3
cup diced celery
-
1/3
cup diced yellow onion
-
6
ounces coarsely ground pancetta
-
12
ounces coarsely ground fresh pork butt or shoulder
-
6
ounces coarsely ground veal
-
2
28-ounce cans whole San Marzano or plum tomatoes
-
salt, freshly ground white pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste
1. Heat the oil in a medium-size deep sauté pan or pot and sauté the carrot, celery and onion over low heat until translucent,
stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the pancetta and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes. Add the pork and
veal and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes. Do not brown the meat during this time, just cook thoroughly.
2. While the above ingredients are cooking, finely chop the tomatoes, then add them, along with some juice to the deep sauté pan or pot. Simmer over medium heat, uncovered and stirring occasionally to prevent burning, for about 2 hours or until thick.
Some cooks like to gradually add milk, 1-2 cups, during the 2 hour simmering. OR they reduce a quart of milk by at least half its volume until it becomes quite thick and add that at the end of simmering the ragù, called panna di cottura di un litro di latte intero. This ragù could be served with tagliatelle but would not be used for making lasagne since lasagne Bolognese is made with a milk-based balsamella sauce in addition to the ragù Bolognese. When the ragù is finished, taste and season. Cool, cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 day before serving. To reheat, first remove any rendered fat that rose to the surface, then warm over low heat, re-season and enjoy.
Mary Beth's Chef's Tip: There is no garlic or herbs in the classic version. The sweetness of the vegetables, meat and tomatoes are emphasized. Usually ragù is tossed with tagliatelle or tortellini or layered in lasagne. Substitute fettucine, penne or rigatoni if you like. Ragù may be refrigerated up to 4 days before serving.
2. While the above ingredients are cooking, finely chop the tomatoes, then add them, along with some juice to the deep sauté pan or pot. Simmer over medium heat, uncovered and stirring occasionally to prevent burning, for about 2 hours or until thick.
Some cooks like to gradually add milk, 1-2 cups, during the 2 hour simmering. OR they reduce a quart of milk by at least half its volume until it becomes quite thick and add that at the end of simmering the ragù, called panna di cottura di un litro di latte intero. This ragù could be served with tagliatelle but would not be used for making lasagne since lasagne Bolognese is made with a milk-based balsamella sauce in addition to the ragù Bolognese. When the ragù is finished, taste and season. Cool, cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 day before serving. To reheat, first remove any rendered fat that rose to the surface, then warm over low heat, re-season and enjoy.
Mary Beth's Chef's Tip: There is no garlic or herbs in the classic version. The sweetness of the vegetables, meat and tomatoes are emphasized. Usually ragù is tossed with tagliatelle or tortellini or layered in lasagne. Substitute fettucine, penne or rigatoni if you like. Ragù may be refrigerated up to 4 days before serving.
