Homemade Italian Tagliatelle Pasta With Ragu’ Sauce

I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Milan, Italy for the fall 2023 semester through ISEP at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. I was able to learn about countless traditions and cultures of Italy, including how to make homemade pasta. I was taught this recipe from a cooking class and was able to hear about all the intricate ways to make pasta and why it is so important to Italy’s food culture. This recipe is still one of my favorite dishes to cook because it reminds me of all the amazing foods and memories of my time in Milan.

Ingredients
Tagliatelle Dough
- 4 eggs
- 4 spoons of olive oil
- 2 ¼ heaping cups of all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 3 pinches of salt

Ragu’ sauce
- 2 cups tomato puree
- 1/2 lb minced beef meat
- 1lb minced pork meat
- 2 shallots
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 4 sage leaves
- 4 bay leaves
- 3 teaspoons white sugar
- 4 spoons of olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine
- Salt to taste

Instructions
We will start with the tagliatelle.
-Put all the flour and salt into a big bowl, form a hole with your hands, and put the oil in eggs in the hole: start to knead by hand until the dough becomes soft and elastic. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and leave to rest for half an hour, so the gluten can react.
As that rests start on the ragu’ sauce.
-Peel the shallots, and cut the carrots and celery, blend coarsely in the food processor. Add the vegetables to a non-stick pan, then mix at medium heat with the sage, bay, and sugar. Add half a cup of water and cook until the shallots are soft and transparent (keep adding water little by little if necessary).
-Add all the meat, mix well, and cook until it becomes light grey; now deglaze with the white wine for 5 minutes.
-Add the tomato puree, turn down the heat a little, and leave cooking for 30-35 minutes, keep stirring from time to time.
- Add olive oil and salt to taste.

Now return to the tagliatelle (this part requires a pasta-cutting machine).
-Remove the plastic wrap and divide the dough into 4 parts, use the first part and recover the other 3.
-Put the first part into a sheeter to thin the pasta, starting from level 2 till level 8. Lay the sheet of pasta obtained on the table. Repeat all the steps with the rest of the dough.
-Insert one pasta sheet into the tagliatelle maker of the sheeter machine, lay all the tagliatelle obtained on the table, and sprinkle with flour. Repeat with the other 3 sheets.
-Heat the ragu’ sauce while putting another pot with salted water on the stove and bring to a boil.
-Drop the tagliatelle into the water and leave cooking for 4 minutes, drain once cooked.
-Add the cooked tagliatelle directly to plates and dress each dish with the hot ragu’ sauce, sprinkle with parmesan, and serve hot!