Authentic Ragù alla Bolognese
The officially deposited recipe from the Accademia Italiana della Cucina, featuring hand-chopped beef skirt, rich pork belly, and a milk finish for a velvety texture.
"Imported from Bologna Welcome (Accademia Italiana della Cucina). This is the official 1982 'depositata' recipe. To meet the strict Leucine Threshold (>30g protein/meal), I have scaled the portion sizes significantly. Note: This authentic recipe relies on pork belly, resulting in a fat content (60g) and calorie count (815 kcal) that exceeds standard targets. This is a rich, nutrient-dense dish best enjoyed as a standalone bowl or with minimal sides. Sourcing upgrades: Grass-fed beef skirt (diaphragm) for superior mineral content and flavour, and outdoor-reared pork belly. The milk finish is crucial for texture and balancing acidity."
Ingredients
Protein
- 500g Grass-Fed Beef Skirt (Diaphragm) — minced or finely chopped
- 250g Outdoor-Reared Pork Belly — finely diced
Fresh
- 85g Carrot — finely diced
- 85g Celery Stick — finely diced
- 85g Yellow Onion — finely diced
- 130ml Whole Milk
Pantry
- 500g San Marzano Tomatoes (Peeled) — crushed
- 130ml Dry White Wine
- 300ml Beef Bone Broth — warmed
- 50ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 5g Sea Salt — to taste
- 2g Black Pepper — freshly cracked
Method
Finely chop the beef skirt (or use coarse mince) and dice the pork belly into very small cubes.
Prepare a battuto by finely dicing the carrot, celery, and onion.
In a heavy earthenware or cast-iron pot, render the pork belly over medium heat until the fat releases.
Add the olive oil and the chopped vegetables. Fry gently until soft and translucent (sweating the soffritto).
Increase heat, add the beef, and stir with a wooden spoon until it sizzles and browns deeply.
Pour in the white wine and stir gently until it has completely evaporated.
Add the tomatoes, lower the heat to a bare simmer, and cook for at least 2 hours. Add warm bone broth periodically if the sauce becomes too dry.
Towards the end of cooking, stir in the milk to soften the acidity. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately in warm bowls.