Tagliatelle al Ragù

Method

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1. Cook the pancetta in the oil and butter until its fat runs, 6 minutes. Add the onion, carrot and celery and sweat 15 minutes over low heat without colouring.

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2. Add both minces and cook 15 minutes over medium heat, breaking them up, until browned and the pan is dry.

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3. Pour in the milk and simmer until it has completely evaporated, about 20 minutes. Do not skip or shorten this.

   Mark done Start 20 min timer

4. Add the wine and reduce it away entirely, another 15 minutes.

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5. Stir in the tomato purée, the stock, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to the barest blip.

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6. Cook uncovered 150 minutes, stirring occasionally and topping up with a little water if it dries. It should end up terracotta-coloured and glossy.

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7. Make the pasta: work the flour and eggs to a firm dough, knead 10 minutes, rest 30 minutes, roll thin and cut into 8 mm ribbons. Boil 90 seconds and toss with the ragù and parmesan.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Milk first, cooked away completely. It is the whole difference.
• Two spoons of purée, not a tin of tomatoes.
• Three hours at a blip. There is no fast version.

Common Substitutions & 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.

Pairing Suggestions

• A glass of Sangiovese
• Green salad
• More parmesan

Storage & Reheating

The ragù keeps 4 days refrigerated and is better on day two. It freezes for 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.