Marcella Hazan’s classic Bolognese sauce

Name: Marcella Hazan’s classic Bolognese sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6 Servings
Ingredients: 3/4 pound ground beef chuck; 1/2 cup chopped onion; 2/3 cup chopped carrot; 2/3 cup chopped celery; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 3 tablespoons butter plus 1 for pasta; 1 cup whole milk; whole nutmeg; 1 cup dry white wine; tomatoes, in can or box: 1 1/2 cups; salt and pepper, to taste; 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds for starter, 2 1/2 pounds for main course of fettuccine, rigatoni, fusilli, tagliatelle; salt, at least a handful; to finish; Parmesan cheese, grated for the table: to taste

Marcella Hazan is the author of the most popular Italian cookbook in the US, called Essentials of Italian cooking. Her bolognes sauce, or ragù, is from northern Italy and contains both nutmeg and milk. Unlike other northern Italian recipes it also contains Italian plum tomatoes rather than just tomato puree.

The recipe is to be made with ground chuck beef though you can add variety by including ground pork. She recommends measuring 2 parts beef with 1 part pork and says adding another meat to the recipe can make the sauce “tastier.” I wholeheartedly agree that adding another type meat makes the ragù taste better.

Marcella Hazan’s classic Bolognese sauce

Posted by Barbara

Ingredients

Recipe serves: 6-8

	3/4 pound ground beef chuck
	1/2 cup chopped onion
	2/3 cup chopped carrot
	2/3 cup chopped celery
	1 tablespoon vegetable oil
	3 tablespoons butter plus 1 for pasta
	1 cup whole milk
	whole nutmeg
	1 cup dry white wine
	1 1/2 cups tomatoes, in can or box
	salt and pepper, to taste
	for pasta
	1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds for starter, 2 1/2 pounds for main course of fettuccine, rigatoni, fusilli, tagliatelle
	salt, at least a handful
	to finish
	to taste Parmesan cheese, grated for the table

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thoughts&stories

As the name suggests, Bolognese sauce originates from Bologna, Italy and is often referred to as Ragu. Served over pasta, or commonly made as the meat sauce for Lasagne alla Bolognese, the recipe first appeared in 1861. The cookbook by Pelligrino Artusi, La scienze in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene (the science of the kitchen and the art of eating well), was the first time the sauce was featured in a number of different recipes.

Italian sauces often have the base of onions, celery and carrots, which is similar to the Mirepoix in French cuisine. In Italian the onion, celery, carrot base that is gently sauteed is called a soffritto. When I am feeling a bit lazy, or do not want to chop, I often buy the Mirepoixalready chopped up- adding about 2 cups to this recipe.

Italians estimate about 100 grams (4 ounces) of pasta per person depending on what will be served after, or what has been enjoyed before. In general, a 1 pound box serves 4-5 people, 500 grams about the same. But if serving for as a starter, you may want to the portion size to be slightly smaller. I often measure out the pasta (since shapes differ) onto the plate that will be used to “guess-timate” the right amount. You also need to consider the heartiness of the sauce and determine if more or less should be served- lighter the sauce maybe a bit more pasta, heavier the sauce, a little less.

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Posted by Barbara

time
2 hours 30 min
serves
6
skill level
Easy

Ingredients

3/4 pound ground beef chuck
1/2 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped carrot
2/3 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons butter plus 1 for pasta
1 cup whole milk
whole nutmeg
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, in can or box
salt and pepper, to taste
for pasta
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds for starter, 2 1/2 pounds for main course of fettuccine, rigatoni, fusilli, tagliatelle
salt, at least a handful
to finish
to taste Parmesan cheese, grated for the table

Directions

1 Done	Put the oil, 3 tablespoons butter and chopped onion in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir until onion becomes translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
2 Done	Stir in the celery and carrots and cook for 2 minutes.
3 Done	Add the ground beef and a large pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Break the meat apart and cook until beef has lost all the red color.
4 Done	Add the milk and let simmer gently, stirring frequently, until it has bubbled away completely.
5 Done	Add a few grinds of the whole nutmeg, abut 1/8 teaspoon and stir.
6 Done	Add the wine and mix well and allow all to evaporate before adding the tomatoes. Stir well and when tomatoes begin to bubble, turn heat down onto a simmer.
7 Done	Cook uncovered for 3 hours or more stirring from time to time.
8 Done	To prevent from sticking to bottom of pan while cooking, add 1/2 cup water as necessary. At end, however, no water at all must be left.
9 Done	Taste and add salt.
10 Done	For the pasta Bring a large pot of water to a boil, 4 quarts (about 2 litres). You want plenty of water, pasta needs to move around or it may become mushy. If you do not have a large pot, use two small ones.
11 Done	Add a generous bit of salt - or a general rule is 1 heaping tablespoon for each pound of pasta. The water should be "slightly less salty than the sea."
12 Done	Add tagliatelle as the most traditional shape noodle but also common is tortellini, rigatoni or fusilli, Set timer for 5 minutes and after begin to taste regularly for pasta being done al dente (lightly chewy and resistant to the bite).
13 Done	Before draining take a cup or mugful of pasta water in case you need to use to help binding the sauce with the pasta.
14 Done	Remove pasta immediately and drain the water.
15 Done	Add immediately to the sauce and use 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved starchy pasta water if you need to better coat sauce to pasta.
16 Done	Serve in a large bowl or in individual bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.