How to Make AUTHENTIC BOLOGNESE SAUCE Like a Nonna from Bologna

Authentic Bolognese Ragù

Ingredients

• Extra-virgin olive oil, a generous amount
• 1 red or brown onion
• 3 celery stalks
• 3 carrots
• 500 g pork mince
• 300 g beef mince
• 200 g veal mince
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 glass red wine, divided in half
  • White wine can be used instead, though red is preferred for its flavor.
• 150 g tomato paste
• 400 g peeled tomatoes
• 1 litre passata
• Water, as needed during the long simmer
• 1 cup full-fat milk
• Fresh pappardelle
• Rock salt, for the pasta water
• Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving
• Reserved pasta cooking water, for combining the pasta and sauce

Method

1. Make the sofrito: Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large pot. Add the chopped onion and sauté for a couple of minutes, until golden. Add the chopped carrots and celery and cook for about 4–5 minutes.
2. Add the wine and meat: Pour in half the wine and let it simmer until the alcohol smell has faded. Add the minced meats, season lightly with salt and pepper, and stir to break up the meat so it cooks evenly. Brown it well, then let the liquid released by the meat cook off. Add the remaining wine and simmer until its alcohol smell has faded and the moisture has evaporated.
3. Add the tomatoes: Stir in the tomato paste, passata and peeled tomatoes. Rinse the passata bottle with a little water and add that, too. Lightly mash the peeled tomatoes and mix everything together.
4. Simmer slowly: Add water as needed and cook for about 4 hours, or up to 4–5 hours, over very low heat. The sauce should show only gentle bubbles. David usually leaves the pot uncovered so water can evaporate, but says it can be covered if needed. Check it periodically, add more water if it becomes too dry, and taste during cooking to adjust the salt and pepper. The meat should become tender and the sauce should thicken.
5. Finish with milk: Once the ragù has thickened, stir in the milk and cook for another 4–5 minutes to soften and enrich the sauce.
6. Cook and combine the pasta: Boil fresh pappardelle in water seasoned with a handful of rock salt; the subtitles give no cooking time. Reserve some pasta water, then drain the pasta. Add sauce to a pan, toss in the pasta, and add more sauce and a little pasta water to help everything come together.
7. Serve: Plate with plenty of grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Tips and Variations

• Patience is key: the ragù needs a long, gentle simmer, so don’t rush it.
• The traditional flavor here comes from onion, carrot and celery. David advises against adding herbs, stock or other extra ingredients; water is sufficient.
• Pappardelle is the featured pasta. Tagliatelle and penne are also suggested; spaghetti is discouraged because the sauce does not cling to it as well.
• Red onion is David’s preference, but brown onion is also an option.

Presenter and Source

Vincenzo of Vincenzo’s Plate cooks with David, a guest from Bologna. No external source is named in the subtitles.