Ragù Bolognese
One of the things that brought Colin and I closer together was our love for good food. From hunting down the best eats on trips, to our favorite restaurants in Boston, to a homemade meal, Colin and I are constantly searching for new restaurants and recipes.
One of our Sunday favorites, this Ragù Bolognese is a dish that Colin and I have tried to perfect. With this came the pleasure of taste testing in Boston’s North End and at local eateries in Bologna itself. After trial, error, and a healthy amount of pasta, we’re delighted to share our recipe with you.
Ingredients
Meat
Aromatics
Sauce
Spices & Oil
Method
Preheat your oven to 225°F.
Prepare the onion, carrot, and celery by finely chopping (or use a food processor on pulse). Mince the garlic and keep it separate.
Mix the ground beef, veal, and pork. Season generously with salt and pepper — you'll need more than you think. Form 18 meatballs.
Heat 1–2 Tbsp olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in 2 batches on all sides. Don't scorch the bottom. Remove and set aside. Drain excess fat but leave some.
Reduce heat to medium. Add bacon/pancetta — cook until light brown and crispy, about 5 minutes.
Add chopped onion, celery, and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft (6–8 minutes). Add salt to help the vegetables soften.
Add minced garlic - cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add tomato paste. Stir constantly, coating the vegetables, until the paste darkens (2 minutes).
Add wine. Cook until nearly evaporated (4–5 minutes).
Increase heat to medium-high. Crush the canned tomatoes by hand in a bowl, then add them to the dutch oven. Cook until the sauce is jammy and reduced by half (8–12 min). When you scrape the bottom, it shouldn't immediately fill back in.
Add chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir.
Add nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir.
Return meatballs to the dutch oven, submerging them in sauce. Bring to a simmer.
Cover with lid slightly ajar. Place in the 225°F oven. Check after 30 min — if not simmering, increase to 250°F. Cook for 3–4 hours, checking hourly.
Remove from oven. Use a potato masher to break apart the meatballs. Stir. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce on the stove over medium-low if needed.
Serve over pasta and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese (aged 24 months) and ground black pepper. A glass of red wine definitely doesn’t hurt!
You can make the sauce, let it cool, and freeze individual portions in zip-loc bags for up to 3 months.