Ragù alla Bolognese

Ragù alla Bolognese is a rich and creamy meat sauce from Bologna, Italy. This recipe is translated and adapted from Il Cucchiaio D’Argento, a staple cookbook in many Italian kitchens and my go-to for traditional Italian recipes. With ragù alla Bolognese you can make a simple pasta dish (recommend pappardelle or tagliatelle), gnocchi as pictured, use it as a layer in lasagna, or be creative! And if you make too much I like to freeze individual servings in ziplock baggies to use whenever you want.

Servings: many (32ish oz of sauce)

Ingredients:

1 small yellow onion

1 celery stalk

1 carrot

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

3-5oz diced pancetta

1 lb ground pork

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup milk

24.5oz tomato puree (I use Mutti brand)

2 tbsp tomato paste

Salt & pepper

Directions:

In a Dutch oven or heavy bottom large pot heat oil and butter on medium-low heat. Finely chop your onion, celery and carrot. I use my food processor to get it very fine (the finer the better). This mix of vegetables is called the soffritto, which is the foundational flavor base of many Italian recipes. Add your soffritto to the pot, cooking until soft. Next add your diced pancetta and cook for a few minutes before adding your ground pork and beef. Mix and cook until no longer pink. Mix in your white wine and wait for it to completely evaporate and no longer smell like alcohol before adding the milk. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomato puree and tomato paste, bring to a boil, then lower the flame to simmer with the cover slightly open for at least 2 hours. Ragù is better the next day after all of the flavors have had time to rest. Use it with pasta, gnocchi, or even polenta.