Slow cooking beef renders it very tender in this dish, perfect with tagliatelle.
Ingredients
- 200g/7oz
pancetta, chopped - 1kg/2lb 2oz
beef mince - 3 tbsp
olive oil - 25g/1oz
butter - 1
onion, roughly chopped - 2
carrots, peeled, finely chopped - 2
celery sticks, finely chopped - 150ml/5fl oz
milk - 4 tbsp
tomato purée - 175ml/6fl oz
red wine - 750ml/1pint 7fl oz
beef stock - salt and freshly ground
black pepper - 500g/1lb 2oz
tagliatelle, cooked according to packet instructions, drained - 150g/5oz
parmesan, freshly grated
Preparation method
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Heat a large non-reactive casserole pan until hot, add the pancetta and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the pancetta softens and the fat starts to melt. Add the mince in small batches and fry over a high heat until browned. Remove each batch of mince from the pan with a slotted spoon, set aside and keep warm while you fry the remaining batches.
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Add the olive oil and butter to the pan in which you cooked the beef, then add the onion and fry gently for 1-2 minutes, or until softened. Add the carrots and celery to the pan and cook for another minute.
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Stir in the browned mince, then add the milk and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
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Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a further minute. Add the red wine and simmer until the volume of the liquid has reduced by one quarter.
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Add the beef stock and return the ragu to the boil. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1½-2 hours, or until the ragù has thickened and the mince is tender.
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Mix the tagliatelle with a little of the ragù.
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To serve, pile the tagliatelle onto each of four plates then top each serving with another generous spoonful of ragù. Sprinkle with some freshly grated parmesan.