Italian Bolognese Pasta and French Chicken Leg Confit

Today we’re cooking two classic European dishes that win hearts with their simplicity and depth of flavor. Perfect recipes for a cozy family dinner.

🍝 Italian Bolognese Pasta

🛒 Ingredients:

Ground beef (or a mix of beef and pork) — 500 g
Pancetta (or regular bacon) — 150 g, finely diced into 5x5 mm cubes
Carrot — 1 large, grated on a fine grater
Celery stalks — 2, finely diced into 3x3 mm cubes
Yellow onion — 1 large, finely diced into 3x3 mm cubes
Tomato paste — 2 tbsp
Canned crushed tomatoes — 400 g
Dry red wine — 100 ml
Olive oil — 2 tbsp
Milk — 50 ml
Salt, whole black peppercorns, bay leaf — to taste
Pasta (tagliatelle or fettuccine) — 400 g
Parmesan — for serving

👨🍳 Instructions:

In a thick-walled pot or sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Fry the pancetta until crispy, golden, and rendered, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery (soffritto). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften completely and the moisture evaporates, about 10-12 minutes. The veggies should turn tender and slightly glossy.
Increase the heat to medium-high, add the ground meat, and break it up with a spoon to avoid clumps. Fry until the meat loses its pink color and starts to brown, about 8-10 minutes.
Pour in the wine, add the tomato paste, stir, and cook until the alcohol smell dissipates and the liquid nearly evaporates, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, and a few black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid, leaving a small gap for steam to escape. Simmer the sauce for at least 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add the milk 15 minutes before it’s done—this will soften the acidity of the tomatoes.
Fifteen minutes before serving, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente (slightly firm to the bite), following the package instructions.
Toss the cooked pasta with some of the Bolognese sauce in a pan to coat it well. Serve immediately, topped with grated Parmesan.

💡 Fact: Classic Bolognese, or ragù alla bolognese, is officially made with tagliatelle—not spaghetti—according to the Italian Academy of Cuisine. Historically, the 15th-century recipe didn’t even include meat—just almonds and liver.

🍗 French Chicken Leg Confit

🛒 Ingredients:

Chicken legs (drumstick + thigh) — 4 (about 1 kg)
Pork fat (or duck fat, or olive oil) — 500 ml
Garlic — 4-5 cloves, lightly crushed with the flat side of a knife
Fresh thyme — 4-5 sprigs
Bay leaves — 2
Coarse sea salt — 1.5 tbsp
Freshly ground black pepper — 1 tsp

👨🍳 Instructions:

4-6 hours before cooking (or the night before), generously rub the chicken legs with salt and pepper on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. This dry brine will make the skin crispy and the meat more flavorful.
Preheat the oven to 130°C (convection off, top + bottom heat only).
In a deep ovenproof sauté pan or baking dish—where the legs fit snugly but not too tight—place the chicken skin-side up. Pour in enough fat or oil to fully submerge the legs.
Add the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves to the fat. Place the pan over medium heat and warm until the first tiny bubbles appear—but do not boil.
Immediately transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Roast for 2-2.5 hours. The meat is done when it becomes incredibly tender and easily pulls away from the bone with a light fork press.
Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, lift the legs out of the fat and place them skin-side up on a wire rack to drain excess fat.
For the perfect crispy crown, heat a dry nonstick pan over high heat. Sear the legs skin-side down for 2-3 minutes until golden-brown and crisp. Serve immediately.

💡 Fact: The confit technique (from confire, meaning “to preserve”) was originally used to store meat in its own fat without air exposure. Modern chefs prize it for its unique texture—meat slow-cooked at low temperatures, staying juicy and tender.