Fresh Egg Pasta with Pork Ragù

Method

Ragù (start first — it needs time)

1. Heat oil in Dutch oven. Brown pork in batches, breaking into pieces, 8 min. Remove.
2. Add soffritto (onion, carrot, celery — the Italian mirepoix). Cook 8 min until soft and golden.
3. Add garlic, 1 min. Add wine, reduce by half.
4. Return pork. Add tomatoes, stock, milk, and bay leaf. The milk adds richness and tenderizes.
5. Simmer very gently, partially covered, 2–2.5 hours. Stir occasionally. Season.

Pasta

1. Mound flour on clean surface, make a well. Add eggs, oil, salt to center.
2. Using a fork, gradually incorporate flour from the inner walls into the eggs.
3. When shaggy, knead by hand 8–10 min until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic, rest 30 min.
4. Divide into 4 pieces. Roll through pasta machine, starting at widest setting, narrowing progressively to setting 5–6 for tagliatelle.
5. Dust sheets with semolina, loosely roll, cut into 3/4" wide ribbons. Toss with semolina to prevent sticking.

Cook and serve

1. Boil pasta in heavily salted water 2–3 min (fresh pasta cooks fast).
2. Toss with ragù in the pot, adding a splash of pasta water to emulsify.
3. Serve with grated Parmesan.

Equipment

• Dutch oven Recommended: Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven · Also good: Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
• Cutting board Recommended: John Boos Maple Edge-Grain Cutting Board 18x12
• Mixing bowls Recommended: Vollrath Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls Set

Chef Notes

• The most important thing: 165°F internal for breast, 175°F for thighs. Thighs are more forgiving — they stay juicy even slightly overcooked.
• Let the oven fully preheat — at least 15 minutes. An under-heated oven produces pale, steamed food instead of caramelized, roasted food.
• The hands-on time is much shorter than the total time. Most of the 3+ hours is unattended cooking — use that time for sides or cleanup.
• This recipe improves overnight as the flavors meld. Make it a day ahead if you can — it's even better reheated.
• Taste as you go and adjust seasoning at the end. Salt levels change as liquids reduce and flavors concentrate.

Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Notes
Chicken	Turkey or firm tofu	Turkey is closest. Tofu for plant-based — press and season well.
Pork	Chicken thighs or turkey	Both are leaner — add oil for moisture.
Ground meat	Ground turkey or plant-based ground	Turkey is leaner. Plant-based for vegetarian.
Sausage	Ground meat with same seasonings	Season ground pork to match the sausage style.
Butter	Ghee or olive oil	Ghee for similar richness. Olive oil for dairy-free.

What You're Learning

• Fresh pasta: the feel of proper dough (smooth as silk, springs back when poked)
• Soffritto: the Italian cousin of mirepoix — same concept, finer cut, different flavor profile
• Milk in ragù: a Bolognese tradition that adds sweetness and tenderness
• Long, slow simmering transforms simple ingredients into something extraordinary
• Pasta water as an emulsifier — the starch binds sauce to noodle

Foundations Referenced

• → Sauce Tomat (ragù builds on this concept)
• → Mirepoix (Italian soffritto variation)
• → Chicken Stock

The Science of Fresh Pasta

The ratio: 100g flour per 1 large egg (~50g) is the classic Italian standard. This yields a hydration level of about 55%, which produces a firm, rollable dough.

Flour choice matters:

• "00" flour: finely milled Italian flour with moderate protein (~12%). Produces silky, tender pasta.
• All-purpose: slightly higher protein, works well but produces a slightly chewier result.
• Semolina: high protein, coarse grind. Used for dusting and for dried pasta shapes (orecchiette, cavatelli).

Gluten development: Kneading aligns the gluten proteins into an elastic network. The 30-min rest allows the gluten to relax (making the dough easier to roll) and lets the flour fully hydrate. If the dough springs back aggressively when rolling, let it rest longer.

The windowpane test: Stretch a small piece of dough thin. If it becomes translucent without tearing, gluten is properly developed. If it tears immediately, knead more.

Why pasta water is magic: As pasta cooks, it releases starch into the water. This starchy water, when added to a sauce, acts as an emulsifier — binding the fat and water components of the sauce together and helping it cling to the noodles. Always reserve a cup before draining.

Pasta Shape Guide

Shape	Best Sauce Pairing	Why
Tagliatelle / pappardelle	Ragù, cream sauces	Wide ribbons catch chunky, rich sauces
Spaghetti / linguine	Oil-based, light tomato	Long strands coat evenly with thin sauces
Penne / rigatoni	Chunky vegetable, baked dishes	Tubes trap sauce inside
Orecchiette	Broccoli rabe, sausage	Cup shape holds small pieces
Filled (ravioli, tortellini)	Butter + sage, light broth	Delicate wrappers need gentle sauces

What You're Practicing

Emulsification — suspending fat in liquid (or liquid in fat) — is the science behind vinaigrettes, hollandaise, mayonnaise, and cream sauces. Understanding how to create and stabilize an emulsion opens up an entire category of sauces. Visit Vinaigrettes for more on emulsion techniques.

Bread baking teaches fermentation, gluten development, and the patience to let time do the work. Understanding how yeast, flour, water, and salt interact is one of the most fundamental skills in cooking. Visit Pastry Foundations for more on dough science.