Garganelli with Ragù Bolognese

Serves 4

Prep time: 60 Minutes
Cook time: 180 Minutes

Ingredients

For the pasta:
1 batch fresh garganelli (see recipe here) or 16 oz of dry garganelli pasta

For the ragù:
11 ounces (300 grams) ground beef 85% lean
5½ ounces (150 grams) ground pork
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup (50 grams) yellow onion, finely chopped
⅓ cup (50 grams) celery, finely chopped
⅓ cup (50 grams) carrots, finely chopped
1½ tablespoons (25 grams) double concentrated tomato paste
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup whole milk
Salt and black pepper, q.b. (to taste)
½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated, for serving

Method

To make the ragù:

Start cooking the ragù at least 3 hours before serving. You can also prepare it a day or two ahead of time and store it in the fridge or freezer (just bring it up to room temp!). We find that the more time it has to sit, the better the flavor.

Cook the ground pork and beef in a thick, heavy-bottom pan over medium heat until it starts to render and the fat coats the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Reserving the juices in the pan, remove the meat and set aside.

Add finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery to the pan and cook over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add tomato paste and stir to incorporate it into the sauce.

Return the ground beef and pork to the pan with vegetables. Turn up the heat to high and pour in the wine. Stir frequently until all the wine has evaporated.

Turn down the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer on low, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 hours. Season with salt and pepper, quanto basta (as much as needed).

About 10 minutes before serving, pour in whole milk and stir until well combined.

To prepare the garganelli:

Meanwhile, prepare the garganelli pasta. If making fresh garganelli from scratch, see recipe here.

To serve:

Cook the garganelli in a pot of salted, gently boiling water until al dente (about 8-10 minutes for dry and 2-3 minutes for fresh). Remove with a slotted spoon and add directly to the pan with the ragu sauce. Gently mix together until all the pasta is coated. If the sauce seems too dry, add a ¼ cup of the pasta water.

Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.