Rich Flavored Tagliatelle Bolognese Sauce with Cream
Just the right amount of 18% table cream creates a rich Bolognese sauce that clings in beautifully to long pastas like tagliatelle. Beef, pork and pancetta come together to make an extra creamy tagliatelle Bolognese. Fill your bowl, grab a fork, and spoon and get ready to twirl away.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh tagliatelle or pappardelle pasta cooked you can use dried if that's what is available; reserve 1 ½ cups pasta water plus more to reheat leftovers -SEE NOTE BELOW
- 4 T olive oil divided
- 3 oz pancetta I use the diced pancetta from Trader Joe's
- 2 carrots finely diced
- 2 celery finely diced
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 lbs ground beef I use 80%
- 1 lb ground pork
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup white wine it has to evaporate completely; you can use red if you prefer
- 3 oz can of tomato paste
- 28 oz can whole peeled Italian tomatoes pureed
- 1 ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup table cream/light cream
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large wide dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and stir in the diced pancetta. Saute in the olive oil until browned but not charred. (That will affect the flavor of the sauce.)4 T olive oil, 3 oz pancetta I use the diced pancetta from Trader Joe's
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the pancetta to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Set aside.
- Add a little more oil to the pan if it looks too dry. Add the carrots, celery and onion to the pan. Saute the soffritto until cooked and softened a bit for 5-10 min.2 carrots finely diced, 2 celery finely diced, 1 onion finely chopped
- Add the ground meat and the ground pork to the vegetables.2 lbs ground beef I use 80%, 1 lb ground pork
- Season with the salt and pepper.2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Using the edge of a wooden spoon, finely mince the meats. Brown (but don't let it get too dark), over medium high heat until cooked about 8 minutes.
- Pour in 1 c wine and the nutmeg and cook until the wine evaporates and the meat is almost dry in the pan. This might take 5 minutes or so.1 cup white wine it has to evaporate completely; you can use red if you prefer
- After it does, stir in the tomato paste and melt into the meat. Stir in the tomato sauce, chicken stock and cream.. Allow to come together and then stir in the cooked pancetta.1 ½ cup chicken broth, 3 oz can of tomato paste, 28 oz can whole peeled Italian tomatoes, 1 cup table cream/light cream, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Reduce the heat to the lowest of simmers. The sauce should barely bubble (but it should bubble.)
- Simmer the bolognese for 3 hours (min of 2)
- Add pasta water and a pat of butter at the end.
