Bolognese Pasta (Ragù Bolognese)
Bolognese pasta features an Italian meat sauce (ragù bolognese) simmered slowly with leftover red wine. Ground beef and pork are combined with tomatoes, wine, and milk and cooked for a long time to draw out a deep, rich flavor. Make a generous batch of the sauce and you can use it for pasta and many other dishes. Toss cooked noodles with plenty of the ragù for a pasta that is lovely even on special occasions.
Ingredients
Ragù Sauce
- Ground beef300g
- Ground pork300g
- Onion1 piece
- Carrot1/2 piece
- Tomato2 pieces
- Tomato sauce400ml
- Water150ml
- Red wine200ml
- Milk150ml
- SaltA pinch
- PepperA pinch
- Bay leaves2 leaves
Pasta
- Spaghetti2 servings
- Olive oil1-2 tbsp
Directions
- 1
Score a cross on the bottom of each tomato, blanch briefly in boiling water, then plunge into cold water and peel off the skins. Peeling keeps the skins from getting stuck in your mouth later.
- 2
Finely chop the onion and carrot, and cut the peeled tomatoes into cubes.
- 3
Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion and carrot thoroughly until softened.
- 4
Add the ground beef and pork and stir-fry together.
- 5
Once the meat is cooked, add 1 teaspoon of salt and 400ml of tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Keep it lightly seasoned, since you will adjust the salt later.
- 6
Add the diced tomatoes and 150ml of water, then reduce to medium heat.
- 7
Add 2 bay leaves, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally so it does not stick to the bottom.
- 8
Add 200ml of red wine and simmer gently over low heat for 1 hour 30 minutes. Be careful that it does not stick to the bottom.
- 9
Add 150ml of milk and simmer for another 30 minutes to finish the ragù sauce.
- 10
Wide flat pasta suits this best, but if you do not have any, cook 2 servings of spaghetti.
- 11
Scoop about 3 ladles of the finished ragù sauce into a pan.
- 12
Add the cooked noodles, toss with the sauce, and finish with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil for a complete bolognese pasta.
Tips
Simmer gently for about 2 hours for a deep flavor. Wine adds even more depth, so do try it with a dry, non-sweet wine. Since it takes a while, make a generous batch, portion it out, and freeze it to use for pasta or omurice. If keeping it for more than 3 days, portion and store it in the freezer.