[ ./recipes/sauces/ragu-alla-bolognese.md ]
★ ITALIAN · SAUCES
Ragù alla Bolognese (Official
Recipe).
SERVES
6
TOTAL
150m
ACTIVE
30m
LVL
MEDIUM
// SUMMARY
The official Ragù alla Bolognese, deposited at the Bologna Chamber of Commerce by the Accademia Italiana della Cucina (2023 updated version). The one true reference recipe — detailed, with permitted and prohibited variations.
// INGREDIENTS
| 400 | g | coarsely ground beef |
| 150 | g | fresh pork belly slices (pancetta fresca) |
| 0.5 | onion (approx. 60 g) | |
| 1 | carrot (approx. 60 g) | |
| 1 | celery stalk (approx. 60 g) | |
| 1 | glass red or white wine | |
| 200 | g | tomato passata |
| 1 | tbsp | double-concentrated tomato paste |
| 1 | glass whole milk (optional) | |
| — Meat or light vegetable stock (bouillon cubes are fine) | ||
| 3 | tbsp | extra virgin olive oil |
| — Salt and pepper | ||
// METHOD
- 01
**Render the pancetta**: In a heavy-bottomed pot (non-stick, aluminium, or enamelled cast iron, 24–26 cm diameter), melt the ground or finely chopped pancetta with 3 tbsp olive oil.
- 02
**Soffritto**: Finely chop the vegetables on a cutting board (**do not use a food processor**). Add to the fat and sweat slowly over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. The onion must **absolutely not** take on any burnt flavour.
- 03
**Brown the meat**: Raise the heat, add the coarsely ground beef and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until it sizzles.
- 04
**Deglaze**: Pour in the wine and let it evaporate completely — until you can no longer smell wine. Then stir in the tomato paste and passata.
- 05
**Simmer**: Stir well, add a cup of boiling stock (or water). Cover and cook on low heat for about 2 hours (up to 3 hours depending on preference and cuts used). Add hot stock as needed.
- 06
**Milk** (optional): Halfway through cooking, following the recommended old tradition, add the milk and let it reduce completely.
- 07
**Season**: Adjust salt and pepper. The ragù should be a beautiful **dark orange colour**, enveloping and creamy.
// NOTES
- — Traditionally Bologna used "cartella" (beef diaphragm), now hard to find
- — Preferred cuts: front quarters rich in collagen — shank, shoulder, chuck, belly, brisket
- — Mixed cuts are fine
- — Modern technique: sear the meat separately on its own, then combine with the already sweated soffritto