One-Pot Weeknight Pasta Bolognese

Ingredients

• 1 pound 93 percent lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 cups water, plus extra as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• Salt and pepper
• 6 ounces pancetta, chopped coarse
• 1 onion, chopped coarse
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped coarse
• 1 celery rib, chopped coarse
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated, about 1/2 cup, plus extra for serving
• 1 pound dried pappardelle

Instructions

1. Toss the ground beef with 2 tablespoons water, the baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl until thoroughly combined; set aside.
2. Pulse the coarsely chopped pancetta in a food processor until finely chopped, 15 to 20 pulses. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and pulse until the vegetables are finely chopped and the mixture has a paste-like consistency, 12 to 15 pulses, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Heat the butter and olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pancetta-vegetable mixture and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes.
4. Spread the mixture in an even layer in the bottom of the pot and continue to cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until very dark browned bits form on the bottom of the pot, 7 to 12 minutes.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until the paste is rust-colored and the bottom of the pot is dark brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Reduce the heat to medium, add the beef mixture, and cook, using a wooden spoon to break the meat into pieces no larger than 1/4 inch, until the beef has just lost its raw pink color, 4 to 7 minutes.
7. Stir in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the wine has evaporated and the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.
8. Stir in the beef broth, grated Parmesan, and the remaining 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
9. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a boil. Gently nestle the pappardelle into the sauce and return to a vigorous simmer.
10. Cover and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Adjust the sauce consistency with hot water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Serve, passing extra Parmesan separately.

Notes

Do not substitute fresh pappardelle here; it is too delicate and will break apart. You can substitute 1 pound dried tagliatelle for the pappardelle.