Sunday Tagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese

⏱ 210 min · Serves 4

A proper slow-simmered Bolognese: beef and pork softened in milk and wine until glossy and deeply savoury, then folded through silky egg tagliatelle. Worth every minute of the three-hour simmer, and even better the next day.

Per serving: 1075 kcal · 58.0g protein · 90.0g carbs · 52.0g fat

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 30g butter
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery stick, finely diced
• 100g pancetta, finely chopped
• 350g beef mince (not too lean)
• 250g pork mince
• 200ml whole milk
• 250ml dry white wine
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 250ml beef stock (or water)
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch of grated nutmeg
• Salt and black pepper
• 400g egg tagliatelle
• 60g Parmesan, freshly grated, plus more to serve

Method

1. Heat the oil and butter in a heavy casserole over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and pancetta with a pinch of salt and cook gently for 12-15 minutes until soft and sweet, not browned.
2. Turn the heat up, add both minces and break them up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring, until any liquid has evaporated and the meat is lightly browned.
3. Pour in the milk and simmer, stirring, until almost fully absorbed, about 8 minutes. This keeps the meat tender.
4. Add the wine and let it bubble away for 5-6 minutes until the sharp smell has gone.
5. Stir in the tomato purée, cook 1 minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, nutmeg and a good grind of pepper.
6. Bring to a bare simmer, part-cover, and cook very gently for 2.5-3 hours, stirring every 20 minutes and topping up with a splash of water if it looks dry. It's ready when the sauce is thick, dark and glossy with fat pooling at the edges. Season to taste and discard the bay leaf.
7. Cook the tagliatelle in well-salted boiling water until just al dente. Reserve a mugful of pasta water and drain.
8. Tip the pasta into the ragù (or into a wide pan with two-thirds of the ragù), add the Parmesan and a splash of pasta water, and toss over low heat for 1-2 minutes until every strand is coated.
9. Serve immediately in warm bowls with extra Parmesan grated over the top.