Tagliatelle al Ragù

  • Total time - 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Prep time - 30 minutes
  • Cooking time - 2 hours
  • Servings: 4
  • Country: Italy
Tagliatelle al Ragù

Tagliatelle al Ragù is a traditional dish from the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, especially from Bologna. The sauce, known as ragù alla bolognese, is prepared by slow-cooking minced meat, vegetables, and tomatoes, which gives it a rich and deep flavor.

It's traditionally served with fresh egg pasta, such as tagliatelle, which holds the thick sauce better than thin spaghetti. Patience is key to a perfect ragù—the long, slow cooking is essential to create a tender texture and complex flavor.

Ingredients

For the Ragù (sauce)

  • 300 g minced beef
  • 150 g minced pork
  • 100 g pancetta, diced
  • 100 g onion, finely chopped
  • 100 g carrot, finely chopped
  • 100 g celery, finely chopped
  • 50 g butter
  • 50 ml olive oil
  • 150 ml dry white wine
  • 150 ml whole milk
  • 400 g tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
  • salt and black pepper

For the pasta and serving

  • 400 g fresh or dried tagliatelle
  • grated Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano)

Instructions

Preparing the Ragù

In a large pot, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook until it renders its fat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery and sauté over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

Increase the heat and add the minced meat. Brown it until cooked through and broken into small pieces. Pour in the wine and cook until it has almost completely evaporated.

Add the milk and let it be absorbed by the meat. Then, add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to a minimum, cover, and let it simmer slowly for at least 2 hours. Stir the sauce occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook the tagliatelle in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain them and serve immediately with the sauce and a generous amount of grated Parmesan.