A go-to meat sauce is an absolute must in my world. It's one of those things I keep on hand in the freezer at all times so if I need a comforting / impressive / delicious meal, I pull out a Ragù alla Bolognese in like no time flat!
Like most things on What's Gaby Cooking - this isn't just any meaty red Bolognese sauce. It's quite possibly the best combo ever as it's a marriage of a Ragù Bolognese and a Béchamel sauce which gives it that extra creamy flavor and let's be real here people, what isn't better with a little cream sauce? It's made with both ground beef and ground pork plus a giant glug of wine... so it's a winner in my book. Not to mention it makes a whole vat of sauce! Which is perfect because I can stick half of it in the freezer for a rainy day when I am in a crunch for dinner!
Serve it up on a bed of pasta, a plate of gnocchi, on top of spaghetti squash... you name it! Skies the limit with this one. And it's perfect for all that cold weather going on this time of year!
Ragù alla Bolognese
Ingredients
For the Béchamel
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 ⅔ cups milk
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
For the Ragù
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 medium stalk celery with leaves, finely diced
- 3 small carrot, finely diced
- 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 10 ounces ground pork
- 10 ounces ground beef
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ⅔ cup dry red wine
- 1 cup half and half (or heavy cream or milk)
- 1 28-ounce can san marzano tomatoes, hand crushed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Recommended for serving
- 1-2 pounds cooked fresh fettucine pasta, or any other pasta, gnocchi etc of your choosing
Instructions
For the Béchamel
- In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium hight heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring with a whisk, for 3 minutes. Slowly add the milk, and whisk together. Add the grated parm. Whisk and cook over medium heat for several minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
For the Ragù
- Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and chopped vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds before adding in the meat. Stir the meat into the pan and slowly brown over medium heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Stir often for about 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine.
- Add the wine to the dutch oven, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown bits as the wine bubbles. Stir in the half and half. Adjust heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the pot, and cook for 30 minutes. Stir frequently to check for sticking. Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, at a very slow bubble for another 20-30 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper
- Once cooked, stir in the Béchamel sauce into the meat sauce and combine with a wooden spoon until fully combined. Add the cooked fresh pasta and stir to combine.
Looks great! I'm making pasta tonight and I might try this for the sauce!!
There is nothing as comforting as a really good bolognese sauce. This looks so good, Gaby.
ooh! i'd so love glass of wine in my pasta sauce! it sounds so, so tempting. almost like beef bourguignon! 😀
So nice to see an authentic recipe for ragù alla Bolognese! Brava - and now, thanks to you, I have one! When I was in Bologna, I was told that they never use garlic - too overpowering for the sauce. And tradition is so strong there! he combination of the milk with the meats and tomatoes is what does it for me! Thanks so much!
Meat, butter, flour, tomato, a glug of wine?? Count me in!!
Weirdly this is exactly what I am making for dinner tonight. Mine has beef and pork, but I have veal instead of prosciutto and I always add a touch of milk. Love the synchronicity. GREG
This looks like a bowl full of comfort. Perfect for kissing the last days of winter goodbye.
Looks absolutely delicious! Thanks for posting!
Fabulous Gaby, this is my favorite comfort food!
Seriously. What is better than a bowl of ragu? Nothin' that's what. Thank you for this recipe. This seems to be incredibly easy--which makes me think I might have to go make this ASAP! Yay!
xxoxox
sounds v tempting! x
Great & very tempting bowl of saucy pasta Gaby!! The wine & prosciutto add so much to these great Bolognese sauce 🙂
Ummm.... I would love to try this!
This sounds so creamy and delicious. This is a perfect warm or cool weather meal.
mmmmm...Italian. you know the way to this girl's foodie heart!