Pappardelle Ragu Alla Bolognese Sauce Recipe (2024)

• 1 yellow onion -diced
• 1 large carrot -diced
• 1 celery stalk -sliced
• 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbs butter
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 leaves bay
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 2 x 28 oz cans whole San Marzano tomatoes in tomato puree
• 1/3 lb chicken livers- chopped (OPTIONAL but recommended)
• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1 1/2 c red wine
• 1 c whole milk
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt + more to your taste buds
• freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• freshly grated nutmeg
• Parmigiano Reggiano for grating
• 1 lb pappardelle pasta
• 2 sprigs fresh basil
• 1 lb burrata cheese for serving

• Heat up the olive oil and butter in a large enameled cast iron pot. Add the red pepper flakes and onion with a pinch of sea salt. Saute until translucent.

• Stir in the chopped liver ( strongly recommended, the flavors are to die for ) and let cook for 5 minutes then mix in the diced carrots and celery. Allow everything to cook together for another 5 minutes.

• Add the garlic and the ground meat to the pot and break it up with the side of a wooden spoon. Cook until no longer pink, then add the tomato paste and the wine.

• Allow to simmer until the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and cook another 5 minutes until evaporated.

• Crush the tomatoes with your hands and add them to the pot together with the bay leaves and the sea salt. Partially cover with a lid and bring to a slow simmer.

• Allow to cook for about 4 to 5 hours stirring often and adding about half a cup of water ever so often if to keep the sauce from drying out.

• After 5 hours and once the sauce has the desired consistency ( you want a nice thick sauce ), adjust seasonings, remove from heat and grate in some of the nutmeg.

• Stir and serve on top of your perfectly cooked tagliatelle or pappardelle with a nice sprinkling of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano .

• Cook the pasta al dente, following the instructions on the package. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water just in case you need to add some to the sauce. Remember, your pasta water should taste like sea water, so be generous with the sea salt.

• Serve the ragu sauce on top of the pasta topped with the burrata pockets and sprinkled with some torn basil leaves.

Course: Main

Cuisine: Italian