Authentic Tagliatelle Bolognese Recipe (Italian Tagliatelle al Ragù)

Ingredients

• 200 g"00" flour
• 200 gsemolina flour
• 4 eggs, at least 70 g eacheggs
• 300 gground beef
• 150 gsliced pancetta or minced pork
• 1 smallcarrot
• 1 stalkcelery
• 300 gtomato passata
• 1 smallonion
• 100 mldry white wine
• 300 mlmeat broth
• 3 tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
• 100 mlwhole milk
• To tastesalt
• To tastefreshly ground black pepper
• To tastegrated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 tablespooncoarse salt, for the pasta water

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare vegetables

   Cut the carrot, celery and onion into very small pieces and set them aside. Finely chop the pancetta.

2. 2

   Cook pancetta

   Put the chopped pancetta in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. 3

   Soften vegetables

   Add the olive oil and finely chopped vegetables. Stir and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Brown the beef

   Add the ground beef, stir and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine, stir, and let it evaporate.

5. 5

   Simmer the ragù

   Add the passata, cover the pan and simmer for about 2 hours. If the sauce gets too dry, add a little broth. Toward the end, stir in the milk to soften the tomato's acidity, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. 6

   Combine the flours

   Sift the two flours and combine them in a bowl. Add the eggs.

7. 7

   Mix the dough

   Using a stand mixer with the flat beater, mix on speed 2 for half a minute.

8. 8

   Knead the dough

   Replace the flat beater with the dough hook and knead on speed 2 for 2–3 minutes, until a single firm ball forms.

9. 9

   Finish by hand

   Dust the work surface with semolina. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead it by hand for 2 minutes.

10. 10

    Rest the dough

    Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it in cling film or a tea towel. Leave it to rest for about 20 minutes, then cut off a piece and flatten it with your hands.

11. 11

    Start rolling

    Fit the pasta sheeter to the stand mixer and set it to level 1. At speed 2, feed the dough through the rollers once.

12. 12

    Fold the sheet

    Fold the dough in half, then fold it in half again.

13. 13

    Repeat rolling

    Flour the dough and pass it through the rollers again. Repeat the pass-and-fold process 3–4 times, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

14. 14

    Thin the sheets

    Stop folding and pass the dough through the smooth rollers at positions 2 and then 3. If a sheet becomes too long, cut it in half.

15. 15

    Cut tagliatelle

    Remove the sheeter and attach the tagliatelle cutter. Run it at speed 1, feeding in the pasta sheet and catching the cut strands with your other hand.

16. 16

    Shape pasta nests

    Gather the tagliatelle and lay them on a tray dusted with semolina. Divide them into portions of about 50 g and coil each portion into a nest.

17. 17

    Boil the pasta

    Bring a pot of water to the boil over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of coarse salt. Add the tagliatelle and cook for 3 minutes from when the water returns to the boil, about 5 minutes in total. If using bought pasta, follow the packet timing.

18. 18

    Toss and serve

    Drain the tagliatelle while al dente and toss with plenty of ragù. Serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and extra ragù at the table for anyone who wants more.

What is tagliatelle Bolognese?

Tagliatelle al ragù comes from Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, where broad ribbons of egg pasta are traditionally served with a slowly cooked meat sauce. The name describes the pairing: tagliatelle pasta with ragù, rather than a separate style of pasta sauce.

This version makes both the pasta and ragù from scratch. The long simmer builds a savoury sauce, while the fresh egg pasta gives it a tender, substantial base.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1141 calories, 45g protein, 120g carbs, 51g fat.

The pasta flours supply most of the carbohydrates, while beef contributes protein and pancetta, olive oil and beef fat account for much of the fat. For a more balanced plate, serve a generous portion of greens alongside the pasta.

Why the ragù starts with pancetta

Pancetta: cooking it first lets its fat render into the pan, bringing flavour to the vegetables and beef that follow.

Soffritto: carrot, celery and onion are chopped very finely so they soften into the sauce rather than remaining as large pieces.

The slow-cooked sauce

Wine: let it evaporate after adding it to the beef; this keeps the sauce from tasting sharply of raw wine.

Broth and milk: add a little broth if the ragù becomes dry during its two-hour simmer. The milk goes in near the end, as directed, to mellow the tomato.

Getting the pasta dough right

Flour blend: "00" flour and semolina combine to make a dough suited to rolling and cutting into ribbons. Sifting them together helps distribute the two flours evenly.

Kneading: aim for one firm ball, then knead it by hand until it feels cohesive. If the dough resists rolling, the resting period gives it time to relax.

Rolling and cutting tagliatelle

Folding: repeated passes and folds at level 1 help make the sheet smooth and elastic. Once it reaches that texture, stop folding and thin it through settings 2 and 3.

Handling: cut a long sheet in half if it becomes awkward to manage. Dust the cut pasta and tray with semolina to help keep the strands from sticking together.

How to judge doneness

Ragù: keep it at a gentle simmer for about 2 hours, checking occasionally and adding broth if it is becoming too dry.

Pasta: begin counting the 3-minute cooking time once the water returns to the boil. Taste a strand before draining; it should be tender but still have a little firmness.

Serving the dish

Toss the drained pasta with plenty of ragù so the sauce coats the ribbons. Bring grated Parmigiano Reggiano and extra sauce to the table.

A simple green salad or cooked greens make a fresh contrast to the rich pasta. Serve them alongside rather than mixing them into the ragù.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chop the carrot, celery and onion very finely so they blend into the ragù as they cook.
• Keep the ragù at a gentle simmer and check it from time to time during the two-hour cook.
• Measure the flour and eggs carefully so the fresh pasta dough starts with the intended proportions.
• Dust the work surface and tray with semolina to make the dough and cut strands easier to handle.
• Cook fresh tagliatelle in salted boiling water and taste it before draining.
• Toss the pasta with the sauce while it is still hot so the ragù clings to the ribbons.

Variations

• Use minced pork: replace the pancetta with the listed minced pork for a different meat texture.
• Use peeled tomatoes: substitute crushed peeled tomatoes for the passata if that is what you have.
• Make the dough by hand: combine the flours and eggs, then knead by hand until a firm dough forms.
• Serve extra cheese: bring additional grated Parmigiano Reggiano to the table for finishing.
• Use bought tagliatelle: cook it according to the timing on its packet and toss it with the ragù.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Chopping the vegetables too coarsely: they may remain distinct in the sauce; cut them into very small pieces.
• Letting the ragù dry out: add a little broth during the simmer when the sauce needs moisture.
• Folding after the dough is smooth: skip further folds and move on to thinning the sheets at settings 2 and 3.
• Handling long sheets in one piece: cut them in half when they become too long to manage comfortably.
• Draining by the clock alone: taste a strand to check that the pasta is al dente before draining.
• Skipping the semolina dusting: coat the tray and pasta lightly to help prevent the strands from sticking.

How to store

Store leftover ragù in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat it gently in a saucepan. Cooked pasta is best eaten straight away, but leftovers can be refrigerated separately and reheated with a splash of water or broth.

Frequently asked questions