This recipe is a tribute to Antonio Carluccio. What a legend! His complete Italian Food book is one I return to often and for me this is the only Bolognese recipe to follow. I usually multiply the ragu ingredients and store the sauce in the freezer.
TAGLIATELLE AL RAGU BOLOGNESE
500g Fresh tagliatelle / 400g dried tagliatelle
60g Parmesan cheese, grated
For the Ragu:
55g Butter
55g chopped pancetta
1 large carrot
1 celery stick
1 onion
100g minced lean veal or beef
100g minced lean pork
1 glass of dry red wine
A little chicken or beef stock
3 tblsp tomato paste
sat and pepper to season
To make the ragu, heat the butter in a large pan, add the pancetta, carrot, celery and onion and fry gently for about 10 minutes. Add the minced meats and stir with a wooden spoon to break them up into smaller chunks.
Cook for about 15 minutes to brown the meat, then add the wine and bubble for a few minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate a little. Stir in a little stock to prevent the mixture sticking to the pan. Stir in the tomato paste and dilute with a few tablespoons of stock to give a sauce like consistency.
Leave to simmer for 1 1/2 hours, adding more stock if the mixture becomes dry. At the end of the cooking time, add a little more stock to obtain a smooth consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook the tagliatelle in boiling salted water until al dente, then drain and mix with the sauce. Serve with parmesan cheese.