Italian

agù alla bolognese
M a k e s a b o u t 41/2 c u p s s a u c e ;
s e r v e s 6 t o 8
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1/2
medium carrot, peeled and
finely diced
1 medium rib celery, finely diced
1 lb. ground pork (preferably
from the shoulder)
1/4
1/2
lb. thickly sliced Prosciutto di
Parma, very finely diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground
black pepper
cup dry white wine
1 28-oz. can Italian plum tomatoes
with their juice, passed
through a food mill to remove
their seeds
1 cup homemade or lower-salt
chicken broth or beef broth
1/2
11/4
cup hot milk
to 11/2 lb. pappardelle, cooked
Gently toss fresh or dried pasta
with this ragù the Italian way,
ladling it in gradually so it evenly
coats the noodles but doesn’t
overwhelm or saturate them.
1. Heat the butter and oil in a
small Dutch oven or a wide,
heavy-based saucepan over
medium heat. When the butter
begins to foam, add the onion,
carrot, and celery and cook,
stirring occasionally, until they’re
lightly golden and soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Raise the heat to high, add the pork and
prosciutto, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking
up the pork with a large spoon until the meat loses its raw color, 3 to 5 minutes
(the meat won’t brown). Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it’s almost completely
reduced, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the broth. As soon as
the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook the sauce at a bare
simmer for 2 hours.
2. Add the hot milk and simmer for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
At this point, the sauce should have a thick but saucy consistency and a light
reddish brown color. If the sauce has thickened before the cooking time is up,
cover the pot. If the sauce is still too thin at the end of cooking, continue to
simmer gently, uncovered, until it’s thick. Taste and adjust the seasonings and
toss with the pappardelle. —Biba Caggiano
PER SERVING, without pasta: 280 CALORIES | 15G PROTEIN | 7G CARB | 21G TOTAL FAT |
8G SAT FAT | 10G MONO FAT | 2G POLY FAT | 65MG CHOL | 620MG SODIUM | 1G FIBER
P A S TA 115