Marcella Hazan’s Bolognese Sauce

6h
Serves 8
https://leitesculinaria.com/84057/recipes-marcella-hazan-bolognese-sauce.html

Directions

  1. 1Warm the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 6 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat until the butter melts and stops foaming.
  2. 2Toss in the 1 cup chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. 3Toss in the 1 1/3 cups chopped celery and 1 1/3 cups chopped carrot and cook, stirring to coat them with the oil and butter, for 2 minutes.
  4. 4Add the 1 pound ground chuck (and veal if using) and 1/2 pound ground pork, a very healthy pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  5. 5Crumble the meat with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meats have just lost their raw-red color.
  6. 6Reduce the heat to low.
  7. 7Pour in the 2 cups whole milk and simmer gently, stirring frequently, until the liquid has completely evaporated, leaving just a coating of fat in the bottom of the pan, about 1 hour.
  8. 8Stir in the 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg.
  9. 9Pour in the 2 cups dry white wine and gently simmer, stirring frequently, until it's evaporated, about 1 1/4 hours more.
  10. 10Add the 3 cups canned imported San Marzano tomatoes and stir well.
  11. 11When the sauce begins to bubble, turn down the heat so that the sauce cooks at the laziest of simmers, with bubbles breaking the surface every few seconds.
  12. 12Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours or more, stirring from time to time.
  13. 13If the sauce starts drying out, add 1/2 cup water if necessary, ensuring it evaporates completely by the time the sauce finishes simmering and the fat separates.
  14. 14Taste a spoonful of sauce and season with salt and good grindings of pepper to taste.
  15. 15Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the cooked, hot tagliatelle and toss with the sauce.
  16. 16Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on the side.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1.33 cups chopped celery
  • 1.33 cups chopped carrot
  • 1 pound ground chuck (I used 1/2 pound chuck and 1/2 pound veal)
  • 0.5 pound ground pork
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 0.125 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or a pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 2 cups dry white wine
  • 3 cups canned imported San Marzano tomatoes (Italian plum tomatoes) with their juice
  • 1 pound tagliatelle (homemade or storebought), cooked and drained
  • freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, at the table

Equipment

heavy 5-quart Dutch ovenwooden spoon

Tips

  • Ensure the soffritto (onions, carrots, and celery) does not brown to maintain sweetness and depth.
  • If there's a lot of fat from the pork, you can spoon some out before adding the milk.
  • Simmer the milk gently until it completely evaporates, leaving just a coating of fat.
  • Cook the sauce at the laziest of simmers, with bubbles breaking the surface every few seconds.
  • If the sauce starts drying out during simmering, add 1/2 cup water, but ensure it completely evaporates by the end.
  • The fat should separate from the sauce when it's finished simmering, indicating full evaporation and deepened flavors.
  • For best flavor and texture, keep the sauce at a lazy simmer until the fat separates and pools on top.
  • If the sauce is too thin, simmer longer uncovered; if too thick, loosen with warm water or beef stock.
  • If meat is tough, it needs more time simmering to break down connective tissue.
  • Use a heavy pot (like a Le Creuset 5-quart Dutch oven) and avoid cast iron, as acid can react with the metal.

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