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Authentic Pappardelle Bolognese Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 104 reviews

This Authentic Pappardelle Bolognese recipe offers a rich and hearty Italian classic featuring slow-simmered meat sauce made from ground pork and beef, pancetta, and San Marzano tomatoes, served over wide pappardelle pasta and topped with Parmigiano Reggiano. The lengthy, gentle simmering extracts deep flavors for a comforting and robust meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat and Base

  • 4 oz diced pancetta
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 lb ground beef

Vegetables and Aromatics

  • 1 medium to large yellow or red onion
  • 2 medium to large carrots
  • 2 celery ribs
  • 1 healthy pinch of nutmeg

Liquids and Dairy

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon salted butter
  • 3/4 cup dry white or red wine
  • 1/2 cup beef stock or chicken stock (add more as needed)
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 medium to large Parmigiano Reggiano cheese rind

Tomatoes and Pasta

  • 2 cans (28 oz each) San Marzano plum tomatoes with juices
  • 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 lb dried pappardelle pasta

Seasonings and Garnish

  • Salt & black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Instructions

  1. Chop the soffritto: Finely chop the onion, carrots, and celery using a chef’s knife or pulse in a food processor until the vegetables are in fine pieces.
  2. Cook the pancetta: Heat olive oil and butter in a large cast iron or Dutch oven pot. Add the diced pancetta and cook for 3-5 minutes until it has rendered some fat and is slightly crisp.
  3. Add the soffritto: Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery mixture to the pancetta. Season with a healthy pinch of salt and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.
  4. Brown the mince: Add ground pork and beef to the pot. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink and most of the liquid has evaporated.
  5. Cook off the wine and tomato paste: Pour in the dry wine and cook for 3-4 minutes to evaporate the alcohol, stirring frequently. Then add the tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes, allowing it to deepen in flavor.
  6. Add the tomatoes and broth, then simmer: Stir in the San Marzano tomatoes with their juices, 1/2 cup of broth, and the Parmigiano rind. Season with salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Cover with a lid and simmer on very low heat for 4-5 hours, stirring often. Add more stock if the sauce becomes too thick.
  7. Add the milk towards the end: In the last 30 to 60 minutes of simmering, stir in the whole milk to mellow the acidity and enhance richness.
  8. Cook the pasta and serve with the sauce: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pappardelle until al dente based on package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving about 3/4 cup pasta water. Return pasta and water to the pot, mix in the desired amount of Bolognese sauce and 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir well to combine. Serve with additional cheese and cracked black pepper if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • The choice between white or red wine will subtly affect the sauce’s flavor but either works well.
  • If the sauce thickens too much during simmering, add additional beef or chicken stock to achieve desired consistency.
  • Using San Marzano tomatoes gives a sweeter, less acidic tomato flavor authentic to classic Bolognese.
  • Reserve some pasta water to help marry the sauce with the pasta for smoother texture.
  • Simmering the sauce slowly for several hours allows the flavors to deepen and develop fully.
  • Adding milk at the end balances acidity and enriches the sauce’s texture.

Keywords: Pappardelle Bolognese, Italian pasta, meat sauce, traditional Bolognese, San Marzano tomatoes, slow simmered sauce

Find it online: https://thedishspot.com/authentic-pappardelle-bolognese-recipe/