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Ragù alla Bolognese is the slow-cooked meat sauce of Emilia-Romagna, registered and protected by the Bologna Chamber of Commerce since 1982, and arguably the most imitated and misunderstood pasta sauce in the world. The authentic version begins with a soffritto of finely diced onion, carrot, and celery cooked patiently in butter and oil, to which a mixture of beef and pork is added and browned until every trace of moisture has evaporated. Red wine and a small amount of whole milk tenderise the meat and round out the acidity, while a long, slow simmer of nearly two hours allows the sauce to concentrate into something deeply savoury and aromatic. The result is a meat sauce with barely any tomato - thick, rich, and cloaking every strand of pasta. Though tagliatelle is the traditional pairing, spaghetti brings the sauce equally to life.
Prep
20 min
Cook
110 min
Total
130 min
Servings
4 srv
Difficulty
Medium
Calories
510 kcal
For 4 serving(s)
Per serving
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the finely diced onion, carrot, and celery and cook gently for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until completely soft but not coloured.
Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef and pork and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until all moisture has evaporated and the meat is browned, about 15 minutes.
Pour in the red wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Allow it to reduce completely, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomato passata and bay leaves. Stir well, then reduce the heat to the lowest possible simmer. Cover with a lid slightly ajar and cook for 1.5-2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes. Add a splash of water if the sauce gets too thick.
About 30 minutes before the end of cooking, pour in the whole milk and stir well. This tenderises the meat and mellows any acidity. Discard the bay leaves.
Cook the spaghetti in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve pasta water before draining. Toss the pasta with the ragù, adding pasta water as needed to achieve a flowing consistency.
Serve immediately with a generous grating of Parmesan over each bowl.
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