Tagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese

Tagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese is a classic Italian dish from the region of Bologna. It is a hearty and comforting meal, perfect for a cold winter evening. It is made by cooking a meat-based sauce called ragù with tagliatelle pasta.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound tagliatelle pasta
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 can (28 oz) of crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups of beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tagliatelle and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Use a wooden spoon to break up any large chunks of meat. Drain any excess fat and set aside.
3. In the same pot, add a bit of oil and sauté the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery until softened about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the browned ground beef back into the pot, along with the red wine. Bring to a boil and reduce the wine by half.
5. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for at least 2 hours or until it thickens and the flavors meld together. Stir occasionally.
7. Discard the bay leaf and stir in the chopped parsley.
8. To serve, toss the cooked tagliatelle with the ragù sauce and top with grated parmesan cheese if desired.

This recipe serves 4-6 people.