Tagliatelle Bolognese

Step 1

Prepare all vegetables before turning on any heat. Finely chop the onion, carrots, and celery into very small, uniform pieces about the size of a grain of rice. Finely dice the pancetta. Mince the garlic.

Step 2

Heat the olive oil and butter together in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the diced pancetta. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is lightly golden.

Step 3

Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Cook over medium heat, stirring every minute or so, for 8 to 10 minutes until softened and the onion is translucent. Add the garlic in the last 1 minute.

Step 4

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef and ground pork together. Break up the meat immediately and thoroughly — you want very fine crumbles, not large chunks.

Step 5

Continue cooking the meat over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking it up constantly, for 15 to 20 minutes until deeply browned all over. This extended browning is the most important step in building flavor.

Step 6

Pour in the white wine. Scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine cook off completely, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 7

Add the tomato paste and stir into the meat mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly.

Step 8

Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and rosemary sprig.

Step 9

Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to the lowest setting. The surface should barely simmer. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook for at least 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring every 20 to 30 minutes.

Step 10

After the long simmer, pour in the milk and stir to incorporate. Simmer uncovered for a final 20 to 30 minutes until thick, rich, and glossy. Remove the rosemary sprig. Taste and adjust salt.

Step 11

About 15 minutes before serving, bring a very large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tagliatelle to al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.

Step 12

Drain the tagliatelle — do not rinse.

Step 13

Add the drained pasta directly to the pot of Bolognese sauce. Toss together over medium heat, adding splashes of reserved pasta water until the sauce becomes silky and clings to every strand.

Step 14

Divide into bowls and finish with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve immediately.