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Weekend Tagliatelle Bolognese Dinner
A cozy weekend dinner of tagliatelle Bolognese, little lettuces with shallot-lemon vinaigrette, and red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
Serves 2 | Time ~3 hrs 40 min | Oven 350°F
On the menu
A cozy weekend dinner built around a slow-simmered tagliatelle Bolognese, with a bright little lettuces salad and red velvet cupcakes for dessert. Written for 2 people, with everything made the same afternoon.
Serves: 2 Total time: ~3 hrs 40 min (3:20pm start for a 7:00pm dinner) Oven: 350°F for the cupcakes
Menu
| Course | Recipe |
|---|---|
| Main | Tagliatelle Bolognese |
| Salad | Little Lettuces with Shallot-Lemon Vinaigrette |
| Dessert | Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting |
Shopping list (for 2)
Pasta and Meat
- Dried or fresh tagliatelle, 6 to 8 oz
- Ground beef, 6 oz
- Ground pork, 3 oz
- Pancetta, 2 oz
- Chicken stock, 1 quart
- Tomato paste
Produce
- 1 medium onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 shallot
- 1 to 2 lemons
- Little gems, butter lettuce, or other soft lettuces
- Fresh herbs for salad: chives, dill, parsley, or tarragon
Dairy / Refrigerated
- Whole milk
- Buttermilk
- Eggs
- 8 oz cream cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Parmigiano-Reggiano
Cupcakes / Baking
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Granulated sugar
- Powdered sugar
- Neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
- Vanilla extract
- White vinegar
- Red gel food coloring
- Cupcake liners
Pantry
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Honey
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Timeline for a 7:00pm dinner
| Time | Step |
|---|---|
| 3:20-3:30 | Soften cream cheese and butter; preheat oven to 350°F; line muffin tin; set out tools |
| 3:30-3:50 | Make red velvet batter and fill liners |
| 3:50-4:10 | Bake cupcakes; chop onion, carrot, celery, and pancetta |
| 4:10-4:30 | Cool cupcakes, turn oven off; start Bolognese (sweat veg, brown meat) |
| 4:30-4:35 | Add stock and tomato paste; bring to a gentle bubble, then low |
| 4:35-5:35 | Simmer ragu (stir every 15 min); make frosting at 4:45; frost cupcakes at 5:00 if cool |
| 5:15-5:35 | Wash and dry lettuce, refrigerate; stir ragu |
| 5:35-5:45 | Warm milk and stir into ragu; keep on low |
| 5:45-6:15 | Ragu holds on very low (stir at 6:00); get ready |
| 6:15-6:30 | Make salad dressing; let shallot sit 10 min, whisk in oil |
| 6:30-6:40 | Final ragu check; boil pasta water; grate Parmigiano |
| 6:40-6:45 | Stir butter into the ragu until glossy |
| 6:45-6:52 | Cook tagliatelle, reserving 1 cup pasta water |
| 6:52-6:57 | Finish pasta in the sauce with pasta water |
| 6:57-7:00 | Dress salad, plate pasta with Parmigiano, serve; cupcakes for dessert |
Notes
- The pasta finishing step is the only truly time-sensitive part. The ragu can wait on low.
- If the cupcakes are not cool enough to frost, frost them after dinner.
- If the ragu gets too thick, add stock, water, or pasta water; if it tastes flat, add salt and Parmigiano.
- If the salad dressing tastes too sharp, add a little more olive oil or honey.
- Dress the lettuce right before serving so it stays crisp.
Source
Distilled from weekend_tagliatelle_bolognese_salad_red_velvet_cupcakes.md