Recipe: Tagliatelle with Bolognese Sauce (Tagliatelle con Ragu alla Bolognese)

TAGLIATELLE WITH BOLOGNESE SAUCE
(TAGLIATELLE CON RAGU ALLA BOLOGNESE)

"Cooks in the city of Bologna and surrounding hills of Emilia-Romagna take pride in their signature slow-simmered meat sauce tossed with fresh egg pasta. This recipe comes from chef Anna Nanni, at Trattoria Amerigo dal 1934, a beloved restaurant in the region."



1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes in juice
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1⁄2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1⁄2 medium carrot, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1⁄4 lbs. ground beef chuck
1⁄2 lb. ground pork shoulder
1 (4 oz.) piece pancetta, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup dry red wine
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 lb. fresh egg pasta, such as tagliatelle
Grated parmigiano-reggiano, for serving

Put the tomatoes and their juice into a blender; puree until smooth and set aside.

Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onion, and carrot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and caramelized, about 15 minutes more.

Add the beef and pork and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat begins to brown, about 10 minutes.

Add the pancetta and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until its fat has rendered, about 10 minutes more.

Increase the heat to medium, add the wine, and simmer, stirring constantly, until evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.

Add the reserved tomato puree, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is very thick, about 3 hours. Season the ragu with salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add the pasta; cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain the pasta and add it to the ragu; toss until the pasta is well coated with sauce.

Serve with grated parmigiano.

WINE PAIRING
An earthy, rustic red, such as a sagrantino from Umbria, stands up well to the sweet-savory flavor of this meaty sauce.

Makes 4 servings
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Adapted from source: Saveur Easy Italian by the Editors of Saveur Magazine