Tagliatelle With White Ragu

30 mins Prep Time

1 hours 30 mins Cook Time

Written By

Vicky Tran

When most people think of ragu bolognese, their minds immediately jump to the widely recognized tomato-based red version. And while red bolognese is the predominant version served across Italy, the white version, which consists of a simple sofrito, ground meat and milk, is actually much closer to the versions found in Bologna, Italy, where the sauce originates. Some recipes will call for the classic mix of carrot, onion and celery mirepoix, but I've opted for a more subtle aromatic base of just celery and leeks. The leeks cook down to almost nonexistent in texture but bring so much mellow sweetness to the sauce. I found that not having an acidic element of tomatoes in the background makes for a lack of something acidic to help cut the sauce's richness, so I added in a few tablespoons of white wine vinegar and that did just the trick. Serve with crushed chili flakes or your favourite pepperoncini.

Ingredients

Tagliatelle With White Ragu

1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground veal
1 pound dry egg strand pasta (such as tagliatelle or pappardelle)
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 cup 10% table cream
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus additional for serving
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped Parsley
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
5 slices prosciutto, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped
2 bay leaves, dried
2 stalks leeks, rinsed of all dirt and sliced thinly
1 stalk celery, finely diced
Kosher salt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Tagliatelle With White Ragu

8 Steps

Step 1

Preheat a large Dutch oven or braising pot on high heat, add in the olive oil, then the ground pork as well as the ground veal and begin to brown.
Step 2

Once all of the meat is evenly browned, turn heat to medium. Add in the sliced leeks, diced celery, minced garlic as well as chopped prosciutto. Season lightly with kosher salt and pepper, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until leeks and celery have softened, stirring every few minutes.
Step 3

Once the vegetables have softened, turn the heat back up to high. Add in the freshly grated nutmeg, chopped rosemary and bay leaves and stir to combine.
Step 4

Deglaze with the white wine and cook until almost all of the wine has evaporated, being sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
Step 5

Once almost all of the wine has cooked out, add in the 10% table cream as well as the chicken stock. Return the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour stirring every 10 minutes.
Step 6

After 1 hour, add in the white wine vinegar and adjust seasoning with kosher salt and pepper, cover with a lid and keep warm.
Step 7

Bring a large pot of salted water and cook egg noodle pasta until al dente. Strain off the noodles, reserving a full cup of pasta water. Immediately toss the cooked noodles with the sauce, adding in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano as well as pasta water as needed and toss until the desired sauce consistency is reached.
Step 8

Toss with chopped parsley and serve immediately with additional grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.