Mario Batali’s Ragu Bolognese
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 medium carrots, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 ribs celery, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
3/4 pound veal, ground
3/4 pound pork, ground
3/4 pound beef, ground (ground chuck)
6 ounces tomato paste
1 cup milk
1 cup dry white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooked pasta
Parmigiano-Reggiano, for grating
In a 6 to 8-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrot and garlic and sweat over medium heat until the vegetables are translucent and soft, but not browned, about 15 minutes. Add the veal, pork, and beef and stir into the vegetables. Lower the heat slightly and cook, Continue cooking, stirring occasionally to keep the meat from sticking together, until well-browned and all the fat has cooked off, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add the tomato paste, stir to incorporate, and cook slowly for about 30 minutes. Add the milk, stir and scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan, and allow to simmer another 45 minutes. Add the wine, simmer about 10 minutes until reduced, decrease the heat to low, cover, and simmer for another hour. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and remove from the heat. When ready to serve, transfer the pasta directly out of the boiling water into the saucepan with the appropriate amount of the hot ragu bolognese, and toss so that the pasta is evenly coated. Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.