Pappardelle Pasta

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound pappardelle noodles 
• 1 large celery rib diced 
• 1 medium carrot diced 
• 1 medium onion diced 
• 1 ½ pounds ground 80/20 chuck
• 1 28 ounce can plum tomatoes
• 1 cup low sodium beef stock
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup heavy cream

Instructions

• Add diced celery, carrots and onion into small pan with a small amount of olive oil
• Saute the veggies on medium-low heat for 5 minutes, then add in the tomatoes  and continue to cook for 10 more minutes until they are translucent and soft.
• Turn heat to medium and add the ground beef to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat into small pieces. After the meat has browned and cooked through add broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to dislodge all the flavor bits.
• Cook for 10 minutes, then add all the crushed plum tomatoes. Stir it all together, turn heat to low, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and let cook for a minimum of 2 hours. 
• Every 20 minutes or so check that the sauce is not drying out and sticking to the bottom of the pot. If so, add in a half to 1 cup of water and stir to combine. 
• After 2 hours  the ragu will have thickened somewhat. Stir to combine then add the milk and optional cream. Stir and cook at a simmer for 15-30 minutes more.
• If the sauce is not thick enough continue to cook for another 20-30 minutes before saucing the pasta. Prior to saucing, taste test and adjust salt and pepper if required.
• To sauce the pasta add a few ladles of the bolognese sauce to a pan over medium-low heat, then add in the 'al dente' pasta and cook for 1-2 minutes so that the pasta can absorb the sauce. Add extra sauce as required and serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Enjoy!