Ragù alla Bolognese with Handmade Egg Tagliatelle
A three-hour ragù with the meat seared separately for deep flavour, tossed with hand-rolled egg tagliatelle, cold butter and Parmigiano until glossy, the Bologna way.
Method
Heap the flour on the worktop, make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs. Beat the eggs with a fork, drawing in flour from the inner wall little by little. When it forms a lump, knead for , pushing away with the heel of your hand and folding back. When it is smooth and springs back slowly when pressed, wrap it in cling film and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Add in this stepPlain flour or Italian 00 flour 200 gLarge eggs, at room temperature 2
Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery to the size of rice grains. Melt the butter and olive oil in a 22 cm heavy-based pot, add the pancetta and once its fat runs, add the vegetables and cook over medium-low heat for . They should turn soft and translucent, not brown.
Add in this stepButter (for the sauce) 15 gExtra-virgin olive oil 1 tbspPancetta or bacon (finely chopped) 40 gOnion ½Carrot ½Celery stick ½
medium-low heatMeanwhile heat a 26 cm frying pan over high heat until it just starts to smoke, press the meat in flat, about 1.5 cm thick, and leave it untouched for 3 minutes. When a dark brown crust forms underneath, turn it and break it up, cooking for in total. If it will not fit in one layer, brown it in two lots. Transfer the browned meat to the soffritto pot.
Add in this stepMinced beef (chuck or another fatty cut, coarsely minced) 150 gMinced pork 100 g
high heatPour the wine into the empty meat pan over medium-high heat and scrape up all the browned bits with a spatula, then pour everything into the pot. Reduce until the smell of alcohol is gone, then add the milk and nutmeg and reduce again until almost absorbed. This takes in all.
Add in this stepDry white wine 100 mlWhole milk 100 mlGround nutmeg 1 pinch
medium-high heatDissolve the tomato paste in a ladle of stock and add it with the passata, the rest of the stock and the cheese rind. Set the lid ajar and simmer very gently over low heat for : only a bubble or two should break the surface. Scrape and stir every 20 to 30 minutes, adding a little stock or water if it gets thick. When the sauce is glossy and red oil floats on top, remove the rind and season with salt and pepper.
Add in this stepTomato paste 1½ tbspTomato passata 150 mlBeef stock 300 mlParmigiano rind (about 5 cm, optional) 1Salt and pepper to taste
low heatWhile the ragù simmers, divide the dough into 2 piece(s). Dust with flour and roll with a rolling pin (or pasta machine) to 1 mm, thin enough to see your hand through. Let dry for 10 minutes, dust with flour, roll up loosely, cut into 7 to 8 mm ribbons and shake them loose straight away into nests. This takes about in all.
Bring the water and salt to a rolling boil in a 22 cm pot over high heat and cook the tagliatelle for , until they float and have no hard core when bitten. Put 2 ladles of ragù per serving into a wide pan, lift in the pasta and add 2 to 3 tbsp of pasta water and the cold butter. Toss over low heat for until the sauce clings glossily, then turn off the heat, stir in half the Parmigiano and scatter the rest on top.
Add in this stepWater for the pasta 3 LSalt for the pasta water 1½ tbspCold butter (to finish) 20 gParmigiano Reggiano, finely grated 40 g
high heat→low heat
Cook's tip
Searing the meat separately in a wide pan instead of in the pot is the key to restaurant flavour. If the meat releases water and turns grey, the pan was not hot enough or too full: work in batches. With dried tagliatelle, cook 1 minute less than the packet time.
Cooking it at camp
Freeze the ragù at home in single portions; it doubles as an ice pack in the cooler. Carry the cut fresh pasta heavily floured in an airtight box and use it within a day. At camp one burner is enough: boil the pasta, pour off the water and toss it in the same pot with the ragù and butter.