A home adaptation of the Bologna pairing: egg-pasta ribbons and a gently reduced meat sauce. This recipe uses ready-made fresh tagliatelle so you can concentrate on the ragù; use your own pasta if you prefer.
Recipe at a glance
Serves / makes4
Prep30 minutes
Cook2½–3 hours for the sauce, plus pasta cooking
SkillPatient, straightforward
Ingredients
- 400 g fresh egg tagliatelle
- 300 g minced beef
- 100 g finely chopped pancetta
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 100 ml dry wine
- 300 g tomato passata
- 400–600 ml hot stock, as needed
- 100 ml milk, optional
- Salt and black pepper
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano to serve, optional
Method
- Warm the oil in a heavy pan. Cook the pancetta gently, then add onion, carrot and celery. Soften for about 10 minutes without letting the vegetables darken.
- Add the beef, breaking up the clumps, and cook until it has lost its raw colour. Add the wine and let it reduce.
- Stir in the passata and enough hot stock to keep the sauce gently simmering. Cook partly covered over low heat for 2½–3 hours, stirring occasionally and adding stock if it begins to dry.
- If using milk, add it during the final 20–30 minutes. Finish with a moist, spoonable sauce, then taste and season.
- Cook the tagliatelle in salted water following the pasta’s directions. Keep a little cooking water, drain and fold the ribbons into the ragù. Loosen with a small splash of pasta water only if needed, then serve.
The technique that matters
The sauce needs gentle heat and time. Keep it moist during cooking, then reduce enough for it to cling to the pasta without becoming dry.
Ingredient notes
Contains wheat and egg; pancetta and stock ingredients vary. Milk and serving cheese add dairy. This is a home adaptation, not a claim to reproduce every detail of the registered civic recipe.
Italy by Taste home adaptation, guided by published regional references. Not kitchen-tested for this edition.
Read further
Sources checked on 7 October 2026. Check current access and opening information before travelling.