Tagliatelle Al Ragu (Bolognese)

Yields 8 servings

Ragu (Bolognese Sauce)

Ingredients:

  • 2 TBL                   Vegetable oil

  •                               Kosher salt

  •                            Black pepper, fresh ground

  • 4 wt oz                Pancetta, ¼ inch dice

  • 4 wt oz                Pork, ground or diced

  • 8 wt oz                Beef, ground or diced

  • 2 TBL                  Unsalted butter

  • 8 wt oz              Yellow onion, 1/8 inch dice

  • 4 wt oz                Carrot, 1/8 inch dice

  • 4 wt oz                Celery, 1/8 inch dice

  • 2 TBL                  Garlic, fine chop

  • ¼ cup                  Red wine

  • 28 oz can          Crushed Tomatoes

  • 1 cup                   Chicken Stock

  • ½ tsp                   Kosher salt

  • ¼ tsp                   Black pepper, fresh ground

  • ½ cup                 Milk

  • ¼ cup                 Fresh basil, chopped

Method

 1.    Heat vegetable oil in a stock pot over medium.

2.       Dice or grind meat and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until meat is cooked, stirring often.

3.       Remove cooked meat from the pot and drain in a colander. Reserve some of the oil and rendered fat from the pancetta to cook the vegetables.

4.       Add butter and melt over low heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook until vegetables are soft (8-10 minutes).

5.       Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (1-2 minutes).

6.       Add wine and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon, scraping any browned bits on the bottom of the pan until the wine is mostly evaporated (this is called “deglazing”).

7.       Add cooked meat, tomatoes, stock, salt, and pepper to the pot and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

8.       Taste ragu and add salt and pepper if needed.  Add milk and cook for 5 minutes then add fresh basil and remove from heat.

Tagliatelle Pasta

Yields 3 servings

Ingredients:

  • 300 g                  00 Flour

  • 3 each                 Eggs

  • 3 tsp Water

Method:

1.            Weigh out flour.  Sift onto a cutting board or large workspace into a round pile.

2.            Use your hands to make a well in the center of the flour, then crack the eggs into the center and add water. Use a fork to beat the eggs and start folding in flour a little at a time. Continue mixing eggs and adding flour until a silky and smooth dough starts to form. Work the rest of the flour in with your hands.

3.            Once dough is formed into a shaggy ball, start kneading. Fold dough over on itself and then push your palm forward. Turn the dough slightly and continue this motion. Knead dough for 8 minutes to form gluten and fully hydrate the flour.

4.            After kneading, check the texture of your dough. It should be a silky, smooth dough ball.  If its rough, wet your hands and work the dough again. If its sticky, add a small amount of flour and knead the dough until incorporated. Continue adding water or flour until the dough is smooth but not sticky. Shape into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Allow to rest at room temp for 30 minutes.

5.            Once dough has rested, cut a piece to roll. Rewrap the rest of the dough with plastic wrap and set aside. Shape the dough into a ball and flatten on a lightly floured work surface.  Use a rolling pin to roll out your dough into a large thin sheet of pasta.

6.            Roll the pasta up from the bottom and top so that it meets in the center. Use a chef’s knife to cut the rolled pasta into ¼ inch wide pieces.

7.            Use the back of the knife to unroll the pasta into ribbons. Place on a sheet tray and lightly dust with flour.  Tagliatelle can be cooked right away or stored in a sealed container and refrigerated for 2 days or frozen for up to 6 months.

Tagliatelle Al Ragu

Method:

                            

1.            Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil and add 2 TBL of salt to the boiling water.

2.            Drop tagliatelle in the boiling water and use a pasta fork to separate the pasta.

3.            Heat ragu in a sauté pan until hot and then turn off the heat.

4.            Cook tagliatelle, stirring often, until pasta is cooked to al dente. Cook times will vary based on the thickness of the pasta and whether it is being cooked from room temp, refrigerated or frozen. The pasta should hang loosely on the pasta fork when removed from the water. Taste it for texture. It should be soft but not mushy. There should be a slight texture as you bite through the pasta but not crunchy or too firm. Fresh pasta should be cooked softer than dried pasta.

5.            Remove pasta from the water with a spider and place directly into the sauce. Add some of the starchy pasta water into the sauce (2 TBL per cup of sauce) and turn the heat back on.

6.            Heat sauce and toss pasta stirring well to coat and reduce the pasta water. The starch from pasta water will help thicken the sauce.

7.            Place pasta on a serving plate and pour remaining sauce on top. Serve with freshly grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese.