How to Make Tagliatelle al Ragù - The REAL "Pasta Bolognese"

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner and often less expensive.

red wine

🥗Healthier: non-alcoholic wine

💰Cheaper: grape juice

Non-alcoholic wine adds flavor without alcohol.

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated Pecorino

Nutritional yeast is a dairy-free alternative.

fresh tagliatelle

🥗Healthier: whole wheat pasta

💰Cheaper: dry pasta

Whole wheat pasta is more nutritious and dry pasta is widely available.

Start by using 5 oz of thick cut bacon instead of pancetta, and cook it until browned.

Add 1.5 lb of lean ground beef and 8 oz of pork sausage to the pan, breaking it up as it cooks on medium-high to high heat.

Season the meat with salt while cooking until browned.

Remove the meat and prepare the sofrito by dicing 1/2 large yellow onion, 1 large celery stalk, and 1 large carrot.

Add the diced vegetables to the pan with some of the rendered fat from the meat, and sauté on medium-high heat until softened.

Add minced garlic about 3/4 of the way through cooking the sofrito, cooking until fragrant.

Return the browned meat to the pan and stir.

Pour in 1.5 cups of red wine, allowing it to simmer and reduce for a few minutes to evaporate the alcohol.

Crush peeled San Marzano tomatoes by hand and add them to the pan, stirring to combine.

Add 1/2 cup of whole milk to the mixture, which will tenderize the meat as it simmers.

Add enough broth (about 24 oz) to cover the meat, stir lightly, and cover with a tight lid, lowering the heat to low.

Let the ragu cook for about 2 hours.

For the pasta, use 300 g of double O flour for 3 eggs, whisking the eggs while slowly incorporating the flour to form a soft dough.

Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding water if it feels dry.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or store in a Ziploc bag and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough, checking for translucency and a flapping sound to ensure it's thin enough.

Cut the rolled dough into 1/2 inch thick noodles.

Unfurl the pasta and set aside.

After 2 hours of cooking, skim off any excess oil from the ragu if necessary.

Boil salted water for the pasta, cooking it until al dente (about 1 minute).

Reserve some pasta water before draining the pasta.

Combine the drained pasta with the ragu, mixing well.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens