Sometimes, slow and steady wins the taste race. This slow-simmered beef ragout is a rich and flavorful meat sauce that becomes caramelized when it’s cooked down. Chef Elana has paired it with pappardelle, a wide, flat pasta that makes the perfect spoon for soaking up all of that decadent sauce.

  • Yield: 2 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: About 1 1/2 hrs
  • Active: 30 mins

Ingredients (14)

  • 10 ounces ground beef and pork
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 celery
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 small can whole tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons red wine
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 8 ounces pappardelle pasta
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1/4 cup pecorino cheese

Instructions

  1. Pat ground beef and pork dry with paper towel. Heat olive oil in a large high-sided pan over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add ground beef and pork, breaking up with back of a spoon. Cook until meat loses its color, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, rinse celery and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Peel onion and cut into small dice. Peel carrot and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Smash garlic with flat side of a knife. Drain tomatoes and discard liquid. Add to a small bowl and crush by hand.
  3. Add celery, onion, carrot, and garlic to pan from ground beef and pork over medium heat and cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Return ground beef and pork to pan and stir to combine.
  4. Add tomato paste to pan and cook until brick red, about 3 minutes. Add red wine and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and bay leaf and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat until sauce has thickened, at least 10 minutes, up to 45 minutes. If cooking for more than 20 minutes, reduce heat to medium low.
  5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. When water is boiling, add pappardelle and a pinch of salt. Cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  6. Taste ragout and add salt and pepper as needed. Discard bay leaf. Add pappardelle to pan and stir to coat. Warm through, about 2 minutes. Divide evenly between 2 bowls, garnish with grated pecorino, and serve.