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Ragu Alla Bolognese

Ragu Alla Bolognese recipe image
This authentic Ragu Alla Bolognese is the ultimate comfort food, delivering a robust and savory flavor profile that defines Italian home cooking. The combination of lean veal, beef, and pancetta creates a luxurious texture, while the addition of rehydrated dried porcini mushrooms adds an earthy depth that elevates the sauce beyond the ordinary. Slowly simmered with onions, carrots, celery, red wine, and plum tomatoes, the ingredients meld into a thick, hearty ragù that clings beautifully to pasta. The final touch of heavy cream adds a subtle richness and smoothness, balancing the acidity of the tomatoes. Perfect for a Sunday family dinner or a special occasion, this sauce is incredibly versatile. It tastes even better the next day, making it an ideal candidate for meal prep. Serve it over tagliatelle, pappardelle, or lasagna for a truly satisfying meal that brings warmth and tradition to your table.
Cooking Method: ,
Cuisine:
Courses:
Difficulty: Advanced
Servings: 6
Calories: 1021.8
Description
This authentic Ragu Alla Bolognese is the ultimate comfort food, delivering a robust and savory flavor profile that defines Italian home cooking. The combination of lean veal, beef, and pancetta creates a luxurious texture, while the addition of rehydrated dried porcini mushrooms adds an earthy depth that elevates the sauce beyond the ordinary. Slowly simmered with onions, carrots, celery, red wine, and plum tomatoes, the ingredients meld into a thick, hearty ragù that clings beautifully to pasta. The final touch of heavy cream adds a subtle richness and smoothness, balancing the acidity of the tomatoes. Perfect for a Sunday family dinner or a special occasion, this sauce is incredibly versatile. It tastes even better the next day, making it an ideal candidate for meal prep. Serve it over tagliatelle, pappardelle, or lasagna for a truly satisfying meal that brings warmth and tradition to your table.
Ingredients
  • Dried porcini mushrooms
  • Lean veal shoulder
  • Lean beef round or shin
  • Pancetta or blanched bacon
  • Large yellow onion
  • Carrot
  • Celery stalk
  • Butter
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Dry red wine
  • Drained canned plum tomatoes
  • Heavy cream
Directions
  1. 1
    Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them sit for 30 minutes to rehydrate.
  2. 2
    Drain the mushrooms, rinse them carefully to remove any grit, chop coarsely, and rinse again.
  3. 3
    Using a food processor or meat grinder, finely grind the veal and beef together.
  4. 4
    In the same processor or grinder, finely chop the pancetta, onion, carrot, and celery.
  5. 5
    In a heavy-bottomed casserole or Dutch oven, melt the butter and heat the olive oil over medium heat.
  6. 6
    Add the pancetta and minced vegetables to the pot and sauté for 2 minutes.
  7. 7
    Reduce the heat to very low, cover the pot, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  8. 8
    Uncover the pot and increase the heat to medium-high.
  9. 9
    Add the ground beef and veal, chopped mushrooms, salt, and pepper to the pot.
  10. 10
    Cook, stirring constantly, until the meat breaks up and just begins to lose its raw red color.
  11. 11
    Pour in the dry red wine and cook until the liquid has entirely evaporated.
  12. 12
    Set a food mill with the medium blade over the pot and mill the drained plum tomatoes directly into the sauce.
  13. 13
    Stir everything together thoroughly, then cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes.
  14. 14
    If not serving immediately, remove from heat, let cool, transfer to a container, cover, and refrigerate. The sauce can be made up to this point several hours or even a day in advance.
  15. 15
    Shortly before serving, bring the sauce slowly back to a simmer over medium-low heat.
  16. 16
    Simmer for 5 minutes to heat through.
  17. 17
    Stir in the heavy cream and serve immediately over freshly cooked pasta, passing grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a pepper mill at the table.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6 servings

Amount Per Serving
Calories 1021.8kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 76.0g117%
Saturated Fat 31.1g156%
Cholesterol 192.3mg65%
Sodium 1594.1mg67%
Total Carbohydrate 21.4g8%
Dietary Fiber 4.8g20%
Sugars 11.1g
Protein 57.3g115%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Keywords: bolognese, ragu, italian, pasta, sauce, meat, beef, veal, pancetta, porcini, mushrooms, tomato, slow-cooked, comfort food, dinner, traditional, homemade, creamy, savory, winter
Read it online: https://www.chefs-mate.com/recipe/ragu-alla-bolognese-2/