Traditional Ragù alla Bolognese

Steps

1. Finely chop the carrots, celery, and onion.
2. Cube the ponchetta.
3. In a pan on low heat, cook the ponchetta slowly until the fat renders out. Add butter to melt in the rendered fat if needed.
4. Add the chopped vegetables (carrots, celery, onion) to the pan and sauté until softened and translucent.
5. Turn up the heat and add the mix of beef and pork. Mix well and brown the meat slightly.
6. Season with salt and pepper. Add white wine and let it cook out completely.
7. Add tomato paste (2 heaping tablespoons) and cook on high for 2 minutes, stirring constantly until the meat takes on a red tint.
8. Stir in the passata and about two cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then add bay leaves and a pinch of nutmeg.
9. Turn the heat down and let the sauce bubble gently for 2 hours, checking every 20 minutes and stirring to prevent sticking.
10. After 2 hours, check the liquid level; if too thick, add more passata or vegetable broth. Continue cooking until most of the liquid is gone (another hour).
11. Stir in one cup of warm milk. Let the sauce simmer for another half hour.
12. Remove the bay leaves from the sauce and taste to adjust seasoning.
13. Cook the pasta (Tagliatelle) according to package directions until al dente.
14. In a separate pan, add a scoop or two of ragù over low heat. Add the cooked pasta and some of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together thoroughly until the sauce coats the pasta evenly.
15. Plate the dish and top with additional ragù.