Ultimate Italy Experience Tagliatelle Al Ragù Alla Bolognese

When you think of Italy what is the first thing that comes to mind? If you are anything like me, it’s a great Italian wine and an amazing pasta dish. That for me is one of the most desired pairings when I’m craving some comfort food, or searching for the perfect date night recipe.  It’s also a great way to use your imagination to feel like you are traveling around Italy from the comfort of your home. 

If you are new to my blog or social media platforms, I recently founded a new company called Flavour Affair. We all wish we were able to travel right now to some of our favorite wine and food destinations. However, given the current circumstances, that just is not an option right now. Therefore, I want to bring the travel experience to you through Flavour Affair. My travel box features a wine from a specific country or wine region and be paired with a traditional food recipe from the are to showcase and complement each other.

Today I’m able to finally share with you the first Flavour Affair Italy Experience recipe and wine pairing.

Tagliatelle al ragù alla Bolognese is probably one of my favorite authentic Italian pasta dishes. It’s also really hard to find restaurants that are willing to put in the time required to make it authentically without taking shortcuts. When this dish prepared correctly, it will definitely blow your socks off. That is why I am going to warn you now; this recipe will take some time to prepare, but the dish is well worth the effort and time.

This traditional pasta dish has to go with another favorite vino from Italy that has enough acidity that will pair well with the tomato sauce. For this dish I picked a 2017 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico from Tuscany, Italy.  A 100% Sangiovese, very juicy and bright, it’s earthy, tobacco, violets and cherry, with amazing fresh acidity.

Enough said, this recipe will take you between 3-4 hours to prepare, so you better start working on it before it gets too late HA-HA! 

I hope you enjoy it.

STEP 1

To make the Italian soffritto, mix and pulse the onion, celery, and carrot in a food processor until very finely chopped, almost to a puree consistency then transfer to a small bowl.

STEP 2

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Break apart the beef into small clump size patties (about 1½”) and add to the pot; season lightly with salt. Cook the meat turning occasionally until the beef is lightly browned on each side, but not crispy, 7–8 minutes per side. It may still be a little pink in the center but that’s okay.  The meat will complete cooking throughout the rest of the process. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a medium bowl.

STEP 3

Remove any remaining meat pieces and the fat from the pan and wipe clean with a paper towel. Now take the pancetta and dice it into small cubed pieces (about ¼”), you can purchase sliced pancetta and dice it to desired size. Cook the pancetta in the pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta has released some of its fat and is crisp, approximately 8 minutes. Add the soffritto (onion-carrot-celery mixture) to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft and beginning to stick to the surface, 7–8 minutes.

STEP 4

Return the beef to pot and pour in the white wine. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, smashing down on beef with a wooden spoon breaking it up into small pieces, until wine is evaporated, surface of pot is almost dry, and meat is finely ground, approximately 15 minutes. (The meat should be in little bits and pieces now) Add the tomato paste, bay leaf, and nutmeg and cook, stirring occasionally and still breaking down and pressing on meat, until the tomato paste is slightly darkened; about 5 minutes.

STEP 5

Pour the chicken stock and milk into pot; add a small pinch of salt. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until meat is very, very tender, 2½ –3 hours. There should not be any rapid boiling or bubbles at this stage of the cooking process. Instead, the sauce should slowly cook and release the occasional small bubble or two as it simmers. When finished, the sauce should have the texture of and look like a sloppy joe mixture. If the liquid reduces before the meat is completely tender, add an extra ½-cup chicken stock and continue cooking. Remove the bay leaf. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning with salt as needed; keep warm.

STEP 6

Cook pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, minus 2 minutes per package directions, as it will finish cooking through the final 2 minutes in the sauce. Rustichella d’Abruzzo for around 4 min. Please note that if you are making a smaller portion for two people only, you will want to use half of the pasta package.

STEP 7

If you are making a smaller serving for only 2 people, add two cups of the meat sauce in a separate medium pan on low heat, and using tongs, transfer the pasta to pan with the meat sauce and mix. Add ½-cup of the pasta cooking water and a ½-cup of Parmesan cheese to the pan and mix thoroughly. Increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer.  Continue cooking and tossing the pasta constantly, until pasta is al dente and sauce has slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. If making the full serving size, prepare the whole pasta package and use all the meat sauce.  Transfer the pasta to the pot with meat sauce and follow the same process, instead adding 1-cup of the pasta cooking water.

STEP 8

Using your tongs, transfer the pasta to a serving platter and top with more Parmesan cheese.

STEP 9

If making only for two and you have remaining meat sauce you can store it in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze the sauce for future use. ENJOY!