Ragù Bolognese

Bolognese feels like special-occasion food, but it is deceptively easy to make, and makes for a wonderfully satisfying meal.

Ready In 8

Meal Type Main Dish

Good For Fall, Winter

Servings 4

1 medium onion
1 medium carrot
2 ribs celery
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound (450g) chuck roast or other beef for braising, cut into large chunks
Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1 cup (235mL) whole milk
Several gratings fresh nutmeg
1 cup (235mL) dry white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 ounces (340g) canned whole San Marzano tomatoes and their juices, crushed with your hands before adding
1 pound (450g) pappardelle or tagliatelle pasta
For serving: Chopped Italian parsley, lemon zest, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, generously coat all sides of each chunk with kosher salt and black pepper (it may be easiest to do this in a large bowl, stirring until the salt and pepper is evenly distributed).

Add the meat to the hot pan and leave undisturbed for 2-3 minutes to brown, then turn, continuing this process until the meat is well-browned on each side.

Next, prepare the vegetables (you can do this while the meat browns, just don’t lose track of it!)
The onion, carrot, and celery should be very finely diced; I usually chop them into a few rough chunks and then pulse them through the food processor a few times until they appear to be very finely chopped. Set aside.

Once the meat has browned on all sides, carefully transfer each piece to a platter and set aside. Do not clean out the pot!
Add the chopped vegetables with the crushed red pepper to the pan and stir to coat in the fat, and generously season with salt and black pepper. Sauté for several minutes until evenly browned, about 10 minutes, reducing your heat as needed to prevent burning.

Now add the milk and nutmeg, scraping the pan to incorporate any fond (sticky bits at the bottom of the pan) that has been collected. Return the meat to the pan.
Allow the milk to simmer gently until it has disappeared (be patient! This may take an hour or even longer).

Add the wine and, once again, allow it to simmer until it has disappeared. Continue to stir every few minutes during this process.
Once the wine has disappeared, add the tomato paste and sauté for several minutes before adding the tomatoes.

Now bring the sauce up to a very gentlest of simmers (it should bubble lazily, with bubbles only reaching the surface intermittently.
At this point, the sauce needs to cook, uncovered, for at least three hours. The fat and the meat will begin to separate; as you see it separating, simply stir it back into the sauce.
You will need to check the sauce at about 30 minute intervals, adding water ¼ cup (60mL) at a time, as needed, to prevent sticking while the meat continues to break down.

As the meat begins to cook and fall apart toward the end of this process, you can encourage it to do so by breaking it apart with a wooden spoon and stirring to incorporate it into the sauce.
When the sauce is done, it will be rich and thick. Taste and correct the seasoning, adding a little more salt if necessary.

Finally, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, and add to the sauce, tossing to combine.
Serve with freshly-chopped parsley and plenty of freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
I like to add lemon zest to the chopped parsley—while not traditional, it wakes up the flavor and cuts through all the richness beautifully!