Authentic Ragù alla Bolognese Recipe
This classic Bolognese sauce is slow-cooked for depth and richness using pork, beef, veal, and traditional Italian techniques.
Ingredients
- 1 red onion chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 3 carrots chopped
- 500 g pork mince 17.6 oz
- 300 g beef mince 10.5 oz
- 200 g veal mince 7 oz
- 1 kg Italian tomato passata 4.2 cups
- 400 g peeled tomatoes 14.1 oz
- 150 g tomato paste 5.3 oz
- 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil EVOO
- 1 glass red wine Shiraz, Montepulciano, or Cabernet
- 1 cup full cream milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 liters boiled water as needed
Instructions
For the soffritto
- Heat EVOO in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook until glossy.
- Stir in carrots and celery. Cook for 4–5 minutes.
- Pour in half the wine and let it simmer until it evaporates.
Cooking the meat
- Add all the minced meat. Break it down with a spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
- Brown the meat and allow the liquid to evaporate.
- Pour in the remaining wine and let it simmer.
- Add passata, paste and peeled tomatoes. Crush the tomatoes with a spoon.
- Simmer on low for 1.5 hours.
- Add 1 liter (4 cups) of boiled water. Simmer another 1–2 hours, adding water as needed when the sauce looks dry.
- About 30 minutes before completion, boil pasta water and add salt.
- Once sauce has cooked for 4–5 hours, stir in milk and heat for 5 minutes.
- Cook and drain the pasta and toss with the sauce in a pan. Add pasta water if needed.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
