A triumph of Italian gastronomy, the humble Ragu Alla Bolognese must not be rushed. To bring out the flavours of the meat, veg and of course, wine, the saucy goodness requires slow cooking for the best part of an afternoon. So, partner this recipe with a good book, you’re in it for the long haul!
Ragu Alla Bolognese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 500g (1lb) Minced Beef
- 4g (1tsp) Salt
- 2g (½tsp) Freshly ground black Pepper
- 100g (3½oz) Pancetta (or Bacon)
- 10g (2 cloves) Garlic, Crushed and Chopped
- 200g (7oz) Finely Chopped Onions
- 200g (7oz) Finely Chopped Celery
- 200g (7oz) Finely Chopped Carrot
- 350g (Half a bottle) Cheap but Palatable Red Wine
- 20g (1tbsp) Balsamic Vinegar
- 400g (14oz) Tinned Chopped Tomatoes
- 50g (2tbsp) Tomato Puree
- 4g (1tsp) Fresh Thyme
- 2g (½tsp) Fresh Rosemary
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 300g (10oz) Chicken Stock (Beef is also fine)
- 40g (1½oz) Unsalted Butter
Instructions
- Heat 30 grams (2 tablespoons) of Olive Oil in a Large, thick bottomed Pan on a medium heat
- Fry off 100 grams of Pancetta until golden brown, then transfer onto a kitchen paper lined plate to absorb the excess oil
- In the same pan, toss in 500g of minced beef, and also fry until it becomes slightly golden. Then, transfer the contents to the big cooking pot, along with the Pancetta
- Using the same frying pan and oil, lightly fry 200 grams of onions onions until they become translucent, then add 10 grams of garlic and fry for a further minute
- Add 350 grams of Red wine and 20 grams of Balsamic Vinegar and simmer for around 10 minutes, then transfer everything to the big cooking pot with the meat, and place on a medium heat
- Add to this delightful mixture 150 grams of finely chopped celery and 150 grams of finely chopped carrot, then simmer for a further 10 minutes
- Add 400g of Tinned Chopped Tomatoes and 50 grams of Tomato Puree. You might be tempted to use fresh tomatoes here, don’t, tinned ones are better
- Stir in 3 Bay Leaves, 4 grams of Thyme and 2 grams of Rosemary
- Add 300 grams of your favourite stock and 700 grams of water. Be careful on this one, stocks can vary wildly in potency so start off with a little and work your way up, bearing in mind the flavour will become stronger as the sauce reduces
- The cooking duration will vary depending on the cut of meat used. Simmer on a low heat for at least 3 hours topping up with water occasionally if the sauce starts to get too thick
- Taste the sauce, when the meat is soft, no longer chewy, and the sauce has a deep rich flavour, continue cooking until the it has reduced to a thick texture
- Stir in 40 grams of unsalted butter until it has been fully absorbed
- Congratulations, your Ragu Alla Bolognese is complete
- Serve on a bed of Tagliatelle or other suitable pasta and top with a little Parmesan Cheese
Notes
Nutrition
A Little Extra Info to Make the Perfect Ragu Alla Bolognese
The Meat: Having lived in loads of weird places, I’ve always used whatever beef I can get my hands on, but the freshly butchered meat is the good stuff. Because we’re playing the long game and slow cooking our bolognese we can use one of the tougher cuts of meat, which are generally much tastier. So, chuck, skirt or flank coarsely ground is ideal. Ignore the cheapest stuff, mid-price range will work just fine.
The wine: White wine is the standard alcohol addition for a Bolognese, but I prefer red for it’s deeper, richer flavour. So it’s on you, feel free to substitute red for white if you prefer a sweeter more subtle flavour. In both instances they have to be reasonable bottles of wine, they don’t have to be great wines, but definitely shouldn’t be terrible ones. For the white choose a dry wine like pinot grigio, and the red something like a cianti, obviously they should be Italian.
The Pasta: Despite popular misconceptions, spaghetti is one of the worst pastas you can pair with your Ragu Alla Bolognese as it’s ability to collect lumps of sauce is limited. Tagliatelle is the traditional pasta of choice, but anything with a relatively large surface area will work just fine.
To go that extra mile, try partnering a generous plate of Ragu Alla Bolognese with a slice of homemade crusty bread. If timed right, a clever baker could easily get this cooked up while waiting for the sauce to reach its optimal consistency!
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