Authentic Rigatoni Bolognese Recipes

FRESH RIGATONI WITH BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add carrot, celery, and onion; cook for two minutes. Add beef and pork; cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is nicely browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and 1/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, bring a 6-quart pot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt water and return to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, 5 to 7 minutes; drain.
• Add heavy cream, if using, to sauce; stir to combine. Serve immediately over pasta.

AUTHENTIC RIGATONI BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Put the olive oil into a pan. Add the chopped veggies and saute until the celery softens.
• Add ground beef or veal and saute until meat browns.
• Add your favorite red wine (the alcohol will be absorbed during cooking process).
• Add the crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste and allow this to simmer over low heat for at least an hour until sauce thickens.
• Boil rigatoni in hot, salted water.
• To plate the dish, put the rigatoni in a bowl, pour some sauce on top and garnish with some fresh parsley.

BAKED RIGATONI BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Meat sauce:
• Heat butter and oil in large skillet over med.-high heat. When butter foams, add onion, carrot, celery, cook, stirring until veggies lightly golden and soft, 4-5 minute
• Add veal and pancetta, cook, stirring, until meat lightly colored, 5-6 minute.
• Raise heat to high and add wine. Cook until wine almost all reduced, 3-4 minute
• Add tomatoes and broth, and season with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to low and cover skillet with lid slightly askew. Cook 1 to 1-1/2 hours, or until sauce has med.-thick consistency. Stir a few times during cooking.
• Béchamel sauce:
• Heat milk in small saucepan over low heat.
• Melt butter in medium saucepan over med.-low heat. When butter foams, add flour and stir 2-3 minute without letting flour turn brown.
• Add milk to butter all at once and mix quickly. Season with salt and cook, mixing constantly, until sauce has med.-thick consistency and is smooth and velvety, 3-5 minute (If too thick add bit more milk).
• Remove from heat, cover pan, refrigerate until ready to use.
• Preheat oven 400°F Generously butter large deep baking dish.
• Bring large pot of water to boil. Add salt and Rigatoni. Cook, uncovered, until tender, but firm to bite. Drain pasta and place in large bowl.
• Add meat sauce, 1 cup béchamel and 1/3 cup cheese. Mix thoroughly and place in baking dish. Top with Béchamel and sprinkle cheese over top, dot with butter.
• Bake 10-15 min., or until cheese melted and pasta nice golden color.
• Prepare ahead:
• Meat sauce day ahead. Reheat when ready to use.
• Béchamel few hours ahead.
• Pasta cooked and assembled with sauces one hour ahead.
• Bake just before serving.

RIGATONI AL SEGRETO (RIGATONI WITH SECRET SAUCE)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, salt. Cook until no longer white and starting to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook about 1 minute. Add chili flakes and blended tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer; adjust heat to medium to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 45 to 60 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes (5 minutes from doneness).
• Add about 2/3 of the basil to the sauce. Stir in butter. When butter melts, add cheese in 3 increments.
• Drain pasta; transfer to sauce. Stir until rigatoni are evenly coated with sauce. Serve sprinkled with the remaining basil and a dusting of grated cheese.

RIGATONI WITH WHITE BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Add enough oil to a large, deep sauté pan to coat the base and place over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion, carrots and celery and sauté until glassy and just tender, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the sausage and beef to the pan, breaking it into walnut-size pieces, and brown well.
• Pour in the wine and keep at a rapid simmer until the pan is almost dry. Then pour in 1 1/2 cups beef bouillon and lower the heat to medium. Simmer gently, uncovered, until the bouillon is nearly gone, stirring now and then. Meanwhile, chop the rehydrated porcini into small pieces, reserving the liquid.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add mushroom liquid to the sauce to cover the meat halfway (about 1 cup) along with the porcini and continue simmering until the sauce is loose but not soupy, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper; it should be highly seasoned. When the consistency is right, fold the cream in. Remove from the heat and cover.
• When the pasta water is at a full boil, add the rigatoni and cook until still firm, but not hard, in the center. When the pasta is almost done, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and reserve. Drain the pasta and then return it to the pot. Pour the pasta sauce on top and fold in with a wooden spoon. The pasta should not be dry. Add a little pasta water or mushroom liquid to loosen it. (It will continue to soak up sauce on the way to the table.) Serve in one large bowl or in individual bowls, passing the cheese at the table.