Beef, pork and veal add delicious depth of flavor to this tomato sauce, which is ideally suited to fresh pasta. Veal demi-glace and heavy cream impart luxurious taste and texture.
Recipe courtesy of Williams-Sonoma
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 thin slices pancetta, finely chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into small dice
- 1 carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
- 1 celery stalk, cut into small dice
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 pound ground veal
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups unsalted beef stock or canned broth
- 2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
- 5 fresh sage leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup veal demi-glace
- 1 pound homemade tagliatelle or purchased fresh fettuccine
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preparation
- 1 In a Dutch oven or large, heavy flameproof casserole dish over medium-low heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil. Add the pancetta and sauté until just starting to crisp, about 3 minutes.
- 2 Add the onion, carrot and celery and sauté until aromatic and very lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
- 3 Add the ground beef, pork and veal, stir to break up, season with salt and pepper, and add a generous pinch of nutmeg. Increase the heat to medium and sauté until the meat is lightly browned. Add the wine and simmer until it is almost evaporated.
- 4 Add the stock and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, sage and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 1/2 hours.
- 5 If the sauce seems thin, cook it, uncovered, until thick and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Skim the surface of excess fat. Add the cream and demi-glace. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
- 6 Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt the water, add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender but ï¬rm to the bite), 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the freshness of the pasta. Drain and transfer the pasta to a warmed large, shallow bowl.
- 7 Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Toss until the butter melts. Add the sauce and toss gently. Serve immediately. Pass the remaining cheese at the table.
