Looking for a traditional bolognese sauce from Italy? Look no further; this authentic tagliatelle bolognese recipe is the official version commonly served in restaurants and homes in Bologna.
Its much more flavorful than your typical spag bol, and once you try it, Im sure itll be your new family favorite.
Even here in Italy there are different versions of bolognese because it is basically a meat sauce, which Italians call ‘ragu’. However, the most famous and original version comes from Bologna, the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region. Authentic bolognese is nearly always served as tagliatelle bolognese or tagliatelle al ragu alla bolognese, not spaghetti bolognese.
Italians prefer tagliatelle because this pasta has a rougher surface than spaghetti and is more porous, making it better suited to heavier meat sauces.
Step by Step Instructions
1) Prepare all of the ingredients and set them to the side.
Note: I use a food processor to chop the vegetables as they should be quite finely chopped. However, the traditional way is to chop them with a knife.
2) In a deep sauté pan over medium heat, add a little olive oil and fry the pancetta for 3 to 4 minutes. Add chopped vegetables and continue to sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, until softened. If necessary add a little more olive oil.
3) Add ground beef and cook for 4 to 5 minutes while occasionally mixing until the beef has browned. If there are any big lumps, you can break them up with a spatula or wooden spoon.
4) Turn up the heat to high and deglaze the pan by adding the wine and scraping any brown bits stuck to the bottom with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Note: Make sure not to use metal utensils, as you dont want to scratch the bottom of the pan.
5) Once the alcohol has evaporated, mix in the stock and tomato passata.
6) Bring to a light simmer and turn the heat low. Partially cover the pan with a lid and lightly simmer for at least 1 ½ hours while stirring occasionally. Add more stock if necessary.
7) Stir in the milk and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
8) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and bring to a boil again. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Take a cup of the pasta water and place it to the side. Then strain the pasta in a colander.
9) If the sauce looks too thick, mix in some pasta water to help thin it out. If not, move on to the next step.
10) Add the cooked tagliatelle to the bolognese sauce.
11) Slowly mix together the tagliatelle and bolognese until well incorporated.
12) Turn off the heat and serve immediately with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
I followed the official version
I followed the official version of this tagliatelle bolognese recipe using a mix of ground beef and pancetta and traditional fresh egg pasta. However, if youre looking for a healthier version, you can swap the pancetta for ground pork and use organic wholegrain tagliatelle instead of fresh tagliatelle.
- Pancetta: Unsmoked pancetta is better. You can usually find pancetta cut into thick slabs like the one I used or pre-diced.
- Ground Beef: Use a high-quality coarse beef mince, preferrably from one of the cuts mentioned above or a mixture of those. Coarse ground beef will give the bolognese a meatier texture.
- Wine: According to the new offical bolognese recipe, you can use white or red wine. When picking a wine, its best to use a dry wine, as this will help add balance and more flavor to the sauce.
- Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes arent recommended for a true bolognese because fresh tomatoes are too watery. but both canned chopped tomatoes or passata (purée) work. Plus, you can include a tablespoon of tomato concentrate.
- Milk: For a richer bolognese sauce, use whole milk; for a less rich sauce, use skimmed milk. Milk is what gives bolognese its orangey colour and neutralizes the acidity of the tomatoes.
Follow these tips to make the best traditional bolognese possible and get the most authentic flavor.
How authentic Ragù alla Bolognese is made in Italy
FAQ
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