Original Italian Ragu alla Bolognese Recipe
Foodie Sisters in Italy, Benedetta and Valeria, invited a very special guest to prepare the original recipe for Italian ragu alla bolognese. And the guest is … their mom, Mamma Giuliana! For the very first time together, Benedetta, Valeria, and Mamma Giuliana will show you how to prepare this family favorite, ragù alla bolognese.
Bolognese meat sauce has been adapted and recreated all over the world, often with very untraditional ingredients such as mushrooms, bell peppers, parsley, and garlic. In actual fact, the true ragù from Bologna uses just a few simple ingredients but relies on a long and slow cooking time to bring out the flavor, richness, and depth associated with this amazing comfort food.
Mamma Giuliana, who has her own series of kitchen tips and YouTube channel, goes right to the source for her version, using the official recipe from the Bologna Chamber of Commerce. The recipe was filed on 17th October 1982 and remains the undisputed, classic version of this Italian favorite.
Once you have prepared the ingredients, you can simply leave the sauce to bubble gently for 2 hours, checking occasionally, while your house is filled with a delicious aroma. In the end, you are rewarded with a show-stopping meat sauce that can be tossed with fresh or dried pasta, or layered with pasta sheets and bechamel sauce for the ultimate lasagne.
Ragù alla Bolognese
(serves 4)
300g minced beef
300gr tomato passata
150g pancetta
50g carrot
50g celery (just the stack rib)
50g onion
½ glass dry white wine
½ glass whole milk
Salt
Pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Finely chop or mince the pancetta until it is of a similar consistency to the minced beef.
Heat a small splash of extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan, add the pancetta and cook on a high flame until it is soft and the fat has rendered down.
Finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery, add to the pan and turn down the heat. Cook gently until soft.
Add the minced beef, turn up the heat, and cook until browned then add the white wine and wait for the alcohol to evaporate.
Pour in the tomato passata, mix everything together then turn the flame to low, cover, and cook for approximately 2 hours, stirring occasionally. If it becomes to dry add a little water or stock.
5 minutes before the end of cooking time add the milk, then taste and season with salt and pepper as necessary.
Buon appetito!
