Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrot, diced
• 2 stalk celery, diced
• 4 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup whole milk
• 0.5 cup dry white wine
• 28 ounce crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 0.25 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound tagliatelle pasta, fresh
• 2 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoon heavy cream

Steps

1. Dice the onion into small, uniform pieces (about 0.25 inch).
2. Dice the carrots and celery into small pieces similar in size to the onion.
3. Mince the garlic cloves finely.
4. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute.
5. Add the ground beef to the pot, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Cook for 5 minutes until the beef is no longer pink and has browned lightly.
6. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery (soffritto) to the pot and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
7. Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute until fragrant.
8. Stir in the tomato paste, coating the meat and vegetables evenly. Cook for 2 minutes to caramelize slightly.
9. Pour in the white wine, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Simmer for 3 minutes until the wine reduces by about half.
10. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and bay leaf. Stir well to combine.
11. Reduce heat to low (so the sauce barely simmers with occasional small bubbles breaking the surface). Cover partially with a lid, leaving a 2-inch gap for steam to escape.
12. Simmer the ragù for 120 minutes, stirring occasionally (about every 20 minutes) to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking. The sauce should darken and thicken.
13. Pour in the whole milk, stirring gently to incorporate. The sauce will lighten in color slightly.
14. Continue simmering uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the milk is mostly absorbed and the sauce becomes rich, glossy, and deeply flavored.
15. While the ragù finishes, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat.
16. Add the fresh tagliatelle pasta to the boiling water and cook for 2–3 minutes (fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
17. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving 0.5 cup of pasta water.
18. Remove the bay leaf from the ragù. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
19. Stir the heavy cream into the ragù until fully combined.
20. Divide the cooked pasta among six shallow serving bowls, twirling each portion lightly with a fork into a nest shape.
21. Ladle the warm ragù generously over each nest of pasta, ensuring each serving receives plenty of meat sauce.
22. Garnish each bowl with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and a light grinding of fresh black pepper. Serve immediately.