Bolognese Tagliatelle
This tagliatelle Bolognese is a labor of love that is not your traditional red meat sauce. Bolognese is a delicious meat sauce that is refined and simmered for hours to bring out the great flavors of all the ingredients. Combine it with tagliatelle or with your favorite pasta to create a satiny, creaminess from the pasta starches that make this a memorable meal. Serve with a loaf of crusty Italian bread.
pancetta bacon, finely diced
4
ounces
carrots, finely diced
3
celery, finely diced
3
stalks
onions, finely diced
2
extra-virgin olive oil
3
tablespoons
85% lean ground beef
1
pound
ground pork
1
pound
dry white wine
½
cup
San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1
(28 ounce) can
ground nutmeg
½
teaspoon
salt
½
teaspoon
crushed red pepper
¼
teaspoon
beef stock
1
cup
heavy cream
¼
cup
tagliatelle pasta
1
(16 ounce) box
grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
¼
cup
 Cook pancetta in a pan over medium heat until it has released its fat and is crisp, 7 to 8 minutes. Add carrots, celery, and onions; cook until vegetables soften and onions are translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
  Heat olive oil in a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Break ground beef and pork into small chunks and add them to the pot; cook, stirring lightly, until browned, 7 to 8 minutes.
  Stir pancetta-vegetable mixture into ground meat. Add wine. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir, breaking up meat until finely ground, until wine has evaporated and the pot is almost dry, 13 to 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, nutmeg, salt, and red pepper. Use the back of a spoon to break up tomatoes and continue to break down meat mixture into tiny bits, about 5 minutes.
  Pour beef stock and heavy cream into the pot and reduce heat to lowest setting. Simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, for at least 2 hours.
  Meanwhile, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook tagliatelle at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain well.
  Stir pasta into Bolognese sauce and mix well, adding a little reserved pasta water if needed to develop a satiny coating. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
