Pappardelle Bolognese
Ragu
1⁄2 cup garlic cloves
3.5 ounces ground pancetta
3.5 ounces ground chicken livers
3⁄4 cup ground onion
3⁄4 cup ground fennel
3⁄4 cup ground carrot
1 pound ground pork
2 pounds ground beef
2 ounces tomato paste
1⁄2 tablespoon Calabrian chili
1⁄2 cup white wine (red wine can be substituted)
3 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
3⁄4 cup milk
1⁄2 teaspoon black peppercorn
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
Put black peppercorn, oregano, bay leaves and thyme in a sachet. Set aside.
Puree the garlic, pancetta, and chicken livers together with a little salt. In a large rondeau, cook the puree to golden brown on low-medium heat the whole time. Add soffritto (onion, carrot, fennel) and cook for approximately 2 hours.
Add ground meat and season. Brown gently. Add tomato paste and Calabrian chili and cook 5-10 minutes. Add wine and cook off alcohol (alcohol can be burned off ahead of time). Add chicken stock (already warm) and simmer 2-3 hours. Season if needed. Add milk (already warm) and cook for 30 mins.
For the Dish
4 ounces pasta, fresh or dried
4 ounces Bolognese ragu
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmigiana-Reggiano
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a full boil. Salt the water until it tastes like ocean water and let it come back to a boil. Drop the pasta and cook until desired doneness (fresh pasta will take about four minutes, dried pasta will take 10 to 12 minutes).
While the pasta is cooking, heat the Bolognese ragu in a pan over medium heat. Remove pasta from water when it is “al dent,” and toss with the Bolognese and check for seasoning. Add the parsley and toss one last time before transferring to a hot bowl. Finish with grated Parmigiana-Reggiano.
Serve immediately.