Baked Rigatoni Bolognese

Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely minced
• 1 small carrot, finely minced
• 1 small celery, finely minced
• 1 1/2 lbs ground veal
• 1/4 lb pancetta or 1/4 lb canadian bacon, chopped
• 1 cup dry wine
• 3 cups canned italian tomatoes with juice, put through food mill
• 2 cups chicken broth
• salt, fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• salt
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 lbs rigatoni pasta
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 -3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in pieces

Recipe

• 1 meat sauce:
• 2 heat butter and oil in large skillet over med.-high heat. when butter foams, add onion, carrot, celery, cook, stirring until veggies lightly golden and soft, 4-5 minute
• 3 add veal and pancetta, cook, stirring, until meat lightly colored, 5-6 minute.
• 4 raise heat to high and add wine. cook until wine almost all reduced, 3-4 minute
• 5 add tomatoes and broth, and season with salt and pepper. bring sauce to boil. reduce heat to low and cover skillet with lid slightly askew. cook 1 to 1-1/2 hours, or until sauce has med.-thick consistency. stir a few times during cooking.
• 6 béchamel sauce:
• 7 heat milk in small saucepan over low heat.
• 8 melt butter in medium saucepan over med.-low heat. when butter foams, add flour and stir 2-3 minute without letting flour turn brown.
• 9 add milk to butter all at once and mix quickly. season with salt and cook, mixing constantly, until sauce has med.-thick consistency and is smooth and velvety, 3-5 minute (if too thick add bit more milk).
• 10 remove from heat, cover pan, refrigerate until ready to use.
• 11 preheat oven 400°f generously butter large deep baking dish.
• 12 bring large pot of water to boil. add salt and rigatoni. cook, uncovered, until tender, but firm to bite. drain pasta and place in large bowl.
• 13 add meat sauce, 1 cup béchamel and 1/3 cup cheese. mix thoroughly and place in baking dish. top with béchamel and sprinkle cheese over top, dot with butter.
• 14 bake 10-15 min., or until cheese melted and pasta nice golden color.
• 15 prepare ahead:
• 16 meat sauce day ahead. reheat when ready to use.
• 17 béchamel few hours ahead.
• 18 pasta cooked and assembled with sauces one hour ahead.
• 19 bake just before serving.