Tagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese Classico

Mound the 00 flour on a clean work surface. Make a well in the centre and break in the eggs. Work from the centre outward with a fork, then the heel of the hand, until a smooth, firm dough forms. Knead for 8–10 minutes. The dough is ready when the surface is perfectly smooth and springs back slowly under a thumb press.

Wrap the dough and rest it at room temperature for 30 minutes. Roll progressively to a thin sheet — the Accademia standard requires the cooked tagliatelle to measure exactly 8 mm in width (1/12,270th of the height of the Bologna Asinelli Tower). Cut raw strands accordingly wider to account for cooking contraction. Dust with flour and nest loosely on a tray. The pasta is ready when the strands are dry to the touch but still pliable, not brittle.

Melt the butter for the soffritto in a wide, heavy pot over low heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot in equal parts. Cook gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are entirely soft and translucent. They must not colour: the moment any edge begins to gold, reduce the heat.

Add the beef and pork mince to the soffritto. Raise the heat only to medium. Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring, until all visible moisture has evaporated and the meat just begins to take a pale colour — not a hard brown crust. This stage decides the texture of the entire sauce: high heat here produces dry granules; the correct result is gently firmed, still-yielding mince.

Pour in the white wine. Stir and allow it to reduce completely until the sharp alcohol smell leaves the pot entirely and no liquid pools at the base.

Add the whole milk. Stir and reduce over medium-low heat until the milk has been fully absorbed and no white liquid is visible. The milk moderates the acid of both the wine and the tomato; this step cannot be skipped without altering the final balance of the sauce.

Dissolve the tablespoon of tomato concentrate in a ladleful of warm stock and stir it into the pot. Add the remaining stock. Stir once, season lightly, and bring to the gentlest possible simmer — a surface that barely shivers. This is where the dish lives or dies: maintain the lowest possible heat for a minimum of 2 hours, and 4 hours for the fully developed result, replenishing stock in small additions whenever the sauce threatens to dry. The ragù is finished when the fat has gently re-incorporated into the meat, the sauce is barely moist rather than liquid, and the individual flavours of beef, pork, milk, and wine are no longer distinguishable from one another.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Drop the fresh tagliatelle in and cook for 2–3 minutes. Drain, reserving a small cup of pasta water. Add the tagliatelle directly to the ragù over low heat with the finishing butter. Toss to coat — the sauce should cling to each strand without pooling beneath. Adjust with a spoon of pasta water only if the pan is dry. Serve immediately: fresh egg tagliatelle continues to absorb sauce on the plate.