Tagliatelle al Ragu Bolognese - Cooking traditional Italian flavours at home

Spaghetti Bolognese (also known as Spaghetti Bolognese) is a famous delicacy in Bologna. The Bolognese are serious and particular about the cooking method of this pasta, but it is actually not complicated. Let's make this Italian delicacy together!

Bolognese sauce pasta primarily consists of two components: the meat sauce and the pasta. Regarding the meat sauce, in Italian society, every family has its own recipe and method for preparing it. Some recipes are passed down through generations, while others are developed independently. Therefore, there isn't a single "authentic" way to make it. However, the basic ingredients typically include beef, tomato sauce, onions, and fresh herbs. Some more modern recipes incorporate chicken liver, porcini mushrooms, or even black truffle. As a result, Bolognese sauce pasta truly represents a blend of tradition and innovation.

The key to making a sweet and not greasy meat sauce is ingredients and time. We can add different kinds of vegetables, such as celery, carrots, and even red peppers, to increase the flavor of the meat sauce. The second is the cooking time. Generally speaking, to make a delicious meat sauce, it must be cooked for at least 1 hour or more. By slow-cooking, the sweetness of the vegetables will slowly penetrate into the meat sauce.

As for pasta, in Bolognese, meat sauce must be served with Tagliatelle, a wide pasta. In fact, restaurants in Bologna only have the dish "Tagliatelle Bolognese" instead of "spaghetti Bolognese", which reflects the Italians' persistence and perseverance in traditional cuisine. Since Tagliatelle noodles are relatively wide and thicker, they can release more starch, so when cooked with meat sauce, they can absorb more meat sauce more easily, and the taste is not only more solid, but also much richer.

Ingredients (2 servings)

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Minced beef	300 g
onion	½ bulb
carrot	½ stick
Celery	2 petals
garlic	3 cloves
Basil	2 sprigs
Tomato paste	1 tablespoon
Red wine	300 ml
Chopped tomatoes	1 can
Chicken Stock	300 ml
Bay leaf	2 pieces
salt	1 tsp
Ground Black pepper	1 tsp
Tagliatelle	180 g
Parmesan cheese	50 g

Steps

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1. Chop onion; mince garlic; finely dice carrot and celery; chop basil.

2. Heat a deep pot over medium heat, add some oil, and then add garlic, onion, carrot and celery, and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until soft. Then add the minced beef and stir-fry until separated.

3. After beef is stir-fried, add tomato paste and red wine, mix well and bring to a boil. Then add chopped tomatoes, chicken soup, chopped basil and bay leaves, mix well and bring to a boil.

4. After boiling, turn to low heat, cover the pot, and cook for 1 hour. If you want it to be more flavorful, you can cook it for 2 hours, but remember to add a little more water.

5. After cooking for more than an hour, the sauce has evaporated by more than half (do not cook until all the sauce has evaporated). At this time, you can add appropriate amount of salt and black pepper, mix well and turn off the heat.

6. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the Tagliatelle and cook for 3-4 minutes. Drain and set aside.

7. Take a frying pan, add the cooked meat sauce, then add the spaghetti and mix well. Then add the Parmesan cheese and the remaining basil (if any), mix well and cook until the sauce is reduced before serving.

8. Serve on a plate and garnish with more basil leaves and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!