Ragù alla bolognese
Ragù alla bolognese is the traditional Italian meat sauce from Bologna. It is built on ground meat (beef and pork), vegetables (carrot, onion, celery), wine, milk and just a touch of tomato, then simmered long and slow until it turns rich and deeply savoury. Traditionally it is served with tagliatelle, or used as the base for lasagna.
Ingredients
- 300 g ground beef
- 100 g pancetta or smoked pork belly (finely chopped)
- 1 onion
- 1 celery stalk
- 2-3 carrots
- 150 ml white wine
- 150 ml milk
- 250 ml chicken stock
- 300 g crushed tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 25 g unsalted butter
Method
- Dice the vegetables.
- Caramelise them in a pan with the butter and olive oil (this mix is called a soffritto). Set aside.
- Add the pancetta next and render the fat, then set it aside, leaving the fat behind in the pan.
- Add the beef and brown it. Set aside.
- Deglaze the bottom of the pan with white wine. Let the alcohol cook off.
- Add the soffritto to the white wine.
- Then return the pancetta and the ground beef to the pan.
- Add the crushed tomatoes along with 1 tbsp of tomato paste.
- Add the chicken stock.
- Leave to simmer for at least 2 hours. Do not let it boil - keep it at the barest simmer.
- Stir the milk in right at the end and mix well.
- Serve with Parmesan.
