Tagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese (Classic Method)

Ingredients

• 300 g beef mince
• 200 g pork mince
• 100 g pancetta, finely diced
• 1 large onion, very finely diced
• 2 carrots, very finely diced
• 2 stalks celery, very finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 200 ml whole milk
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 400 ml beef stock
• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 500 g fresh tagliatelle (or dried egg tagliatelle)
• 80 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add pancetta and render for 3–4 minutes.

2. 2

   Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring every few minutes, for 12–15 minutes until deeply softened and lightly golden — do not rush this.

3. 3

   Add garlic, cook for 1 minute, then increase heat to high. Add beef and pork mince and break up with a spoon. Cook for 10 minutes until all moisture has evaporated and the meat begins to fry and brown.

4. 4

   Add white wine and cook until absorbed, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir for 2 minutes.

5. 5

   Pour in the milk and stir until absorbed (this is the key step — the milk tenderises the meat). Add beef stock and nutmeg.

6. 6

   Reduce heat to the lowest possible setting and cook uncovered for 2.5–3 hours, stirring every 20 minutes and adding a splash of water if the sauce dries out. The finished ragù should be rich and creamy with very little liquid.

7. 7

   Season with salt. Cook tagliatelle until al dente, reserve pasta water, and toss the pasta vigorously in the ragù with a splash of pasta water. Serve with Parmigiano-Reggiano.