Pappardelle with White Bolognese
This recipe guides you through creating a luxurious Pappardelle with White Bolognese. It features a rich, creamy sauce made from ground veal, pork, and bacon, simmered slowly with white wine, half-and-half, and aromatic vegetables. The result is a deeply flavorful, comforting dish served over wide pappardelle pasta, finished with fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Equipment
- 1 Large Dutch Oven or Heavy-Bottomed Pot For slow simmering the bolognese.
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Wooden Spoon or Heatproof Spatula For stirring and scraping the pot.
- 1 Large Pot For cooking pappardelle.
Ingredients
Main
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground veal
- ½ pound ground pork
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 ¼ cups half-and-half
- 1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 leaves sage
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 clove garlic small minced
- ¼ teaspoon pink peppercorns optional freshly ground
- 1 pinch of crushed red pepper
- 1 pinch of nutmeg freshly grated
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup bacon finely chopped
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup white or cremini mushrooms finely chopped
- ¼ cup celery root finely chopped peeled
- ½ pound pappardelle
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Freshly grated for serving
Instructions
- Finely chop bacon, onion, mushrooms, peeled celery root, and mince garlic, prepping all aromatics.
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving rendered fat in the pot.
- Add ground veal and pork to the pot (add a tablespoon of olive oil if needed) and brown thoroughly over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat. Drain excess fat.
- Add remaining olive oil, chopped onion, mushrooms, and celery root to the pot. Sauté until softened, then add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Deglaze the pot with dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the wine by half.
- Stir in chicken stock, half-and-half, thyme sprig, sage leaves, bay leaf, crushed red pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is rich and thickened. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and pink peppercorns if desired.
- About 15 minutes before serving, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil and cook pappardelle according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
- Remove herb sprigs and bay leaf from the bolognese sauce. Add the cooked pappardelle directly to the sauce and toss to coat, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to achieve desired consistency.
- Serve immediately in warm bowls, garnished with a generous grating of fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and the reserved crisp bacon.
Notes
Achieving a truly rich white bolognese relies on patience. Ensure thorough browning of the ground meats and bacon to build foundational flavor through the Maillard reaction. Deglazing with white wine is crucial to capture all those flavorful fond bits. Simmering for a minimum of 2-3 hours allows the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken beautifully, creating a luxurious texture. Taste and adjust seasoning often, especially after the long simmer. A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg and pink peppercorns (if using) adds a subtle complexity that elevates the dish. For serving, ensure your pasta is al dente and don't be shy with the Parmigiano-Reggiano.