Description
A classic Italian Slow Cooked Pappardelle Bolognese recipe featuring a rich, slow-simmered meat sauce made with ground sirloin beef, pancetta, soffritto vegetables, tomato paste, beef stock, and finished with milk. This hearty dish is served over tender fresh pappardelle pasta and garnished with Italian parsley and Parmesan Reggiano.
Ingredients
Scale
Soffritto and Meat Sauce
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Olive oil, for cooking
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2/3 cup pancetta or bacon, finely diced
- 1 lb ground top sirloin beef
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 250 ml passata (optional)
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 cup whole milk
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Pasta and Garnish
- 1 lb fresh pappardelle pasta
- Italian parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
- Finely grated Parmesan Reggiano, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Soffritto: Place the finely diced onion, carrot, and celery in a large Dutch oven. Drizzle with olive oil and cook over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are softened.
- Add Garlic and Seasoning: Add the minced garlic to the softened vegetables and cook for a few more minutes. Season with salt to enhance the flavors.
- Cook Pancetta and Beef: Add the diced pancetta or bacon and ground top sirloin beef to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, break up the beef into very small pieces as it cooks until browned evenly.
- Deglaze with Wine: Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping off any brown bits stuck to the bottom. Simmer for about one minute to allow the alcohol to cook off.
- Add Tomato Paste and Liquids: Stir in the tomato paste and passata if using, then add the beef stock. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer the Sauce: Leave the sauce to simmer uncovered on low heat for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally until it becomes rich and luxurious in texture and flavor.
- Incorporate Milk: Heat the milk for 2 minutes in the microwave or gently simmer it on the stove. Gradually stir the warm milk into the simmering sauce in small amounts to enrich it.
- Continue Slow Cooking: Partially cover the pot and continue simmering the sauce on low heat for another hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Cook the Pasta: While the sauce finishes cooking, boil the fresh pappardelle pasta in salted water according to the package instructions. Reserve some pasta water in case you need to loosen the sauce later.
- Combine and Serve: Drain the pasta and toss it with the hot Bolognese sauce to coat evenly. If necessary, add a splash of reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency. Garnish with finely chopped Italian parsley and freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano before serving.
Notes
- For fullest flavor, simmer the sauce slowly for at least 3 to 4 hours to let all ingredients meld beautifully.
- Adding milk towards the end of cooking helps to soften the acidity of the tomatoes and tenderize the meat.
- If the sauce thickens too much, use reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency.
- Using fresh pappardelle pasta enhances the dish’s texture, but dried pasta can also be used as a substitute.
- Garnishing with fresh Italian parsley and Parmesan Reggiano adds a fresh, savory finish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 487
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 398 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 116 mg
