Ragu Bolognese

June 22, 2014

Ragu Bolognese - kvalifood.com

Ragu alla bolognese is a slow-cooked meat sauce from Bologna. It is a meat sauce with a little tomato, not the other way around. Ground beef and minced pork belly are browned, then simmered for hours with a soffritto of onion, carrot, and celery, passata, wine, and milk. No garlic, no herbs, no spices.

Serves 6

Ingredients

300 g coarsely ground beef (shoulder or chuck, at least 15% fat)
150 g pork belly, finely minced
50 g carrot, finely diced
50 g celery stalk, finely diced
50 g yellow onion, finely diced
200 g passata (sieved tomatoes)
1 tbsp double-concentrated tomato paste
100 ml dry white wine (or red)
100 ml whole milk
50 g unsalted butter (or 3 tbsp olive oil)
salt
black pepper, freshly ground
meat broth (or water), as needed

Directions

Place a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the minced pork belly and cook, stirring, until the fat renders and the liquid evaporates. Add the ground beef and cook until golden brown and any liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to a bowl.
In the same pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent but not browned.
Stir the tomato paste into the soffritto and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Return the meat to the pot. Raise the heat, pour in the wine, and stir well. Let it bubble and reduce until almost fully evaporated.
Stir in the passata. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to the minimum. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer very gently for at least 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally. If the sauce gets too dry, add a splash of broth or water.
Pour in the milk, stir well, and continue simmering for another 30-40 minutes. The milk mellows the acidity and rounds the flavor.
Season with salt and pepper. The ragu should be thick and rich, with visible pieces of meat.

Notes

Use beef with 15-20% fat. Lean mince makes a dry, bland ragu.
Pork belly is traditional, not pancetta. Pancetta (cured) works as a substitute but changes the flavor.
Dice the soffritto by hand – a food processor makes it too fine and wet.
Low and slow is the whole point. The ragu should barely bubble. Aggressive boiling toughens the meat.
It is better the next day. Refrigerate overnight and reheat gently.
Serve with fresh egg tagliatelle or use in lasagna alla Bolognese. Spaghetti bolognese is not a thing in Bologna.