Bolognese with Pappardelle
Try this classic Italian pasta dish for your next special occasion.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1/4 pound pancetta, chopped into small dice or ground
- 1 pound ground sirloin
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 onion, cut into small dice
- 1 carrot, cut into small dice
- 2 ribs celery, cut into small dice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, removed from stem and chopped
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 cups red wine
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1/2 teaspoon (a pinch or two) crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 pound pappardelle pasta
- 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, divided
- 1 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Preparation
In a large pot, heat the EVOO over medium-high heat, then add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and the fat is rendered, 4-5 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan and reserve.
Add the sirloin and pork to the pot the pancetta was cooked in and brown well, about 10 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, 4-5 minutes.
Add salt, pepper, allspice, bay leaves and thyme and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 3-4 minutes to caramelize. Add in the wine and scrape up all the tasty nibbles that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook until half of the liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Add the beef stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is thickened and flavorful, about 1 1/2-2 hours, stirring occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Add the cream and simmer for 2 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Remove the sauce from the heat and cover to keep warm until ready to serve.
While the sauce is simmering away, bring a large pot of seasoned water up to a boil. Drop the pappardelle pasta into the boiling water and cook to al dente, according to the package instructions. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
Once the pasta is done, reserve about a cup of pasta water before draining. Drain the pasta and toss it back into the pot it was cooked in along with some of the reserved water and a cup of cheese. Add the pasta sauce, reserving enough additional sauce to serve over the top of the pasta, and toss well to coat.
Serve the pasta in shallow bowls, topped with additional sauce. Pass the remaining cheese at the table.
