What kind of pasta should you serve with White Bolognese (Ragu Bianco)?

Wide, flat pasta noodles, such as pappardelle or tagliatelle, pair well with White Bolognese Sauce (Ragu Bianco). You can also use rigatoni, paccheri and spaghetti.

Why use milk in White Bolognese?

If you add milk to White Bolognese sauce, it helps tenderize the meat and create a rich, velvety sauce. Milk is more traditional than cream in this dish.

Can White Bolognese be made without alcohol?

You don't have to use alcohol in white Bolognese sauce. Instead of wine, use more broth or water. To compensate for the acidity in the wine, add a small amount of lemon juice and/or zest at the end of the cooking process.

What's the best meat to use in White Bolognese?

White Bolognese is commonly made using a combination of ground meats, such as beef, pork, veal, pancetta and/or sausage. Other versions may include braised and shredded meats, such as pork shoulder, wild boar or rabbit.

Authentic White Bolognese Sauce

Name: Authentic White Bolognese Sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: PT-492436H59M29S
Total time: PT-492436H59M29S
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 medium onion, finely chopped (⅛ to ¼ inch thick); 1 stalk of celery, finely chopped (⅛ to ¼ inch thick); 1 medium carrot, finely chopped (⅛ to ¼ inch thick); 8 oz ground pork; 8 oz ground beef (80/20 fat); 2 oz pancetta, chopped; 1-2 clove garlic, minced; ½ cup dry white wine; ½ cup whole milk; ½ - 1 cup chicken stock (preferably low sodium); 1-2 rosemary sprigs; 3-4 sage leaves; 2 whole cloves; 2 tbsp butter; Salt and pepper, to taste; 12 oz pappardelle or pasta of choice*; Parmigiano cheese (parmesan), grated for serving; Parsley, finely chopped, for garnish (optional)

Description

Ditch the tomatoes and give this White Bolognese Sauce a try! This rich, velvety meat sauce is made the authentic way with milk, not cream.

Ingredients

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped (⅛ to ¼ inch thick)

1 stalk of celery, finely chopped (⅛ to ¼ inch thick)

1 medium carrot, finely chopped (⅛ to ¼ inch thick)

8 oz ground pork

8 oz ground beef (80/20 fat)

2 oz pancetta, chopped

1-2 clove garlic, minced

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup whole milk

½ - 1 cup chicken stock (preferably low sodium)

1-2 rosemary sprigs

3-4 sage leaves

2 whole cloves

2 tbsp butter

Salt and pepper, to taste

12 oz pappardelle or pasta of choice*

Parmigiano cheese (parmesan), grated for serving

Parsley, finely chopped, for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

Add olive oil to a large sauce pot or Dutch oven. Warm over medium heat. Add chopped vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, for about 20-30 minutes until soft and lightly caramelized, avoiding browning as much as possible.
While vegetables cook, add chopped pancetta to a food processor and pulse until ground. Alternatively, finely chop the pancetta with a knife.
Add ground beef, pork and pancetta to the pot over the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Mix meats with vegetables, and break up into small pieces. Brown meat over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes, until cooked through. Stir in garlic.
Add white wine, increase heat and reduce until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, milk, rosemary, sage and whole cloves .
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered. Stir occasionally and cook for about 2-3 hours, until flavor is fully developed. While the bolognese cooks, add additional broth or water, as needed to maintain a saucy consistency. Taste before adding extra broth to avoid making the sauce too salty.
When the sauce is ready, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt (about 1-2 tablespoons of Kosher salt per quart of water). Cook pasta about 1-2 minutes short of al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups of pasta water.
Remove the rosemary sprigs and cloves from the sauce. Add cooked pasta to the pot with the sauce with about ~¼ cup of pasta water, depending how thick the sauce is. Bring to a gentle boil and toss to coat. Cook to desired consistency, adding additional pasta water as needed, about 2 minutes.
Turn off heat. Add butter, and toss to melt and emulsify with the sauce. Taste for seasoning. Serve topped with grated parmigiano reggiano and chopped parsley, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

If you're not comfortable cutting the onion, celery and carrots very small by hand, you can add large chunks of the vegetables to a food processer and pulse them until ground.

Depending on availability and your preference, use any combination of ground pork, beef, pancetta, veal or mild Italian sausage.

Other good pasta choices are tagliatelle, rigatoni, spaghetti and paccheri.