Tagliatelle with Ragu

This Recipe serves four, chicken livers are optional, I have used red wine as well as white in the past and the outcome is just as good.  Remember liquid stock from the supermarket can be very salty, check seasoning as the end of cooking before adding additional salt.  I placed more fresh oregano in right at the end because I like colour and fresh flavour.
With mince to be more health conscious I cook off in separate fry pan and drain excess fat off, if using a good quality mince this should not be a problem.  Always best to buy premium beef mince otherwise just paying for fat.

Ingredients

30g butter

1 onion finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped
90g pancetta or bacon, finely chopped
220g minced beef
220g minced pork
4 oregano sprigs or 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
pinch of nutmeg
120g chicken livers, trimmed and finely chopped (I left this one out, optional)
125ml dry white wine

220ml milk

400g tin chopped tomatoes or fresh de-skined and de-seeded
250ml beef stock
400g tagliatelle
grated Parmesan

Method

Heat butter in saucepan and add the diced celery, carrot and onion followed by the pancetta/bacon.  Stir over moderate heat for 8 minutes.

Add the minced beef and pork plus 2 sprigs of chopped oregano as well as a pinch of nutmeg.

Cook for 5 minutes without colouring the mince.

Add the optional chicken livers and cook a further 3 minutes.

Add in the wine and increase the heat to high to create a boil for 3 minutes or until wine has absorbed into the mince which ever comes first.

Stir in half the milk 110ml, reduce the heat to create a simmer for 10 minutes. 

Add the tomatoes, half the stock 125ml, partially cover the pan and leave to simmer on a very low heat for 2 -3 hours.  Add more stock as needed to keep the dish moist.

Once pasta is cooked add remaining milk 110ml into the Ragu 5 minutes before service, add extra fresh chopped oregano and season to taste. 

Toss pasta through the Ragu and serve with grated or shaved Parmesan.

Pasta

Cook Tagliatelle in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente (firm to the bite). Drain and add to finished Ragu.

Great for guest lunch (depending on guests), or crew food.