Ragù alla Bolognese

Don't Make These Mistakes

Milk first, and let it go completely before the wine.

Very fine dice on the soffritto — it should disappear.

Two hours at a bare simmer, uncovered.

How to Make Ragù alla Bolognese

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1. Heat the oil and butter in a heavy pan and cook the pancetta for 5 minutes, until the fat runs.

   Mark done Start 5 min timer

2. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook over a low heat for 12 minutes, until soft and sweet.

   Mark done Start 12 min timer

3. Raise the heat, add both minces and cook 10 minutes, breaking them up, until browned and no liquid remains.

   Mark done

4. Pour in the milk and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has been completely absorbed.

   Mark done

5. Add the nutmeg, then the wine, and simmer 15 minutes until that too has gone.

   Mark done

6. Stir in the tomato purée and the chopped tomatoes and cook 5 minutes.

   Mark done

7. Add the stock, bay leaf, salt and pepper and bring to the barest simmer.

   Mark done

8. Cook uncovered on the lowest heat for 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes. Add a splash of water if it catches.

   Mark done Start 2 hr timer

9. Boil the tagliatelle in well-salted water until al dente and drain, keeping a little water.

   Mark done

10. Toss the pasta with the ragù and a splash of the water, and serve with the Parmesan.

    Mark done

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What's Going On Here

The milk goes in before the wine and before the tomato, and it must be absorbed completely before anything else joins it. The lactose and the fat tenderise the meat and round off the acidity that comes later — a ragù made without it is sharper and grainier. The tomato is a spoonful of purée and half a tin, not a whole one: this is a meat sauce, not a tomato one.

Leftovers, Reheating and Keeping

Much better the next day. Keeps 4 days refrigerated, freezes 3 months.

Swaps and Variations

• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

What to Serve Alongside

• Tagliatelle, not spaghetti
• A green salad
• Sangiovese

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Rosemary Focaccia, Ciabatta, Citrus Fennel Salad.

What's in a Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. The calories include 4 g of alcohol a serving, which is not part of the protein, carbohydrate or fat. How the figures are worked out.

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