# Pressure-Cooker Bolognese with Roasted Early Girl Tomatoes and Banza Pasta > A deeply savory Bolognese with roasted Early Girl sweetness, tender meat, and enough cream to round out the edges. The pressure cooker does the long simmering work, and Banza’s curved tubes catch the rich sauce beautifully. Make one generous batch for a winter dinner and put two more dinners in the freezer. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/pressure-cooker-ragu-bolognese-with-roasted-early-girl-tomatoes-banza-pasta - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2023-12-17 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings, plus ragù for 2 additional meals for four - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free ![Pressure-Cooker Bolognese with Roasted Early Girl Tomatoes and Banza Pasta](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F0ea8d889f20f1b74.jpg) ## Pressure-Cooker Roasted Early Girl Bolognese Roasted tomatoes give the ragù concentrated sweetness without making it tomato-heavy. Pressure cooking tenderizes the meat, while liver, gelatin, and a small amount of fish sauce add savory depth and a silky finish. ### Ingredients - 3 cups frozen roasted Early Girl tomatoes and their juices, thawed - 1 cup unsalted gluten-free chicken stock, divided - 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin - 4 oz chicken livers, trimmed - 1 tablespoon ghee - 4 oz gluten-free pancetta, finely diced - 1 large yellow onion, finely diced - 2 medium carrots, finely diced - 2 ribs celery, finely diced - 4 cloves garlic, minced - 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage - 2 lb ground beef, preferably 80–85% lean - 1 lb ground pork - 1 cup dry white wine - 1 cup whole milk - 2 bay leaves - 1/2 cup heavy cream - 2 teaspoons gluten-free fish sauce - to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 cup cold stock and let bloom for 5 minutes. Pulse the chicken livers with the remaining 1/2 cup stock in a small food processor until nearly smooth. Crush or briefly pulse the thawed tomatoes, retaining their juices. 2. Use an 8-quart electric pressure cooker, or another cooker large enough to keep the contents below its maximum fill line. On medium sauté, heat the ghee and add the pancetta. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring, until the fat renders and the edges begin to turn golden. 3. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and a small pinch of salt. Cook for 8–10 minutes until softened but not deeply browned. Stir in the garlic and sage for 1 minute. 4. Add the beef and pork in several additions, breaking them into small pieces. Cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring and scraping, until no pink remains and most of the released moisture has evaporated. A deep sear is not necessary. 5. Stir in the liver mixture and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the wine, scrape the bottom completely clean, and simmer for 4–5 minutes to reduce its raw alcoholic aroma. 6. Add the bloomed gelatin and stock, milk, and bay leaves. Stir well, checking again that nothing is stuck to the bottom. Spoon the tomatoes and their juices over the top without stirring them down. 7. Lock the lid and cook at high pressure for 35 minutes. Allow 15 minutes of natural pressure release, then carefully release any remaining pressure according to the appliance instructions. 8. Remove the bay leaves and stir the sauce thoroughly. Simmer uncovered on low sauté for 20–30 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick enough to mound softly on a spoon. Skim excess surface fat if needed, leaving some for flavor. 9. Stir in the cream and fish sauce and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Taste before adding salt, then finish with black pepper. Divide into three equal portions; use one for dinner and reserve the other two. ### Notes - Expect roughly 10–12 cups of finished ragù, depending on reduction. Aim for three equal meal-size portions rather than an exact volume. - If the cooker displays a burn warning, stop cooking, release pressure safely, and transfer the contents to a bowl. Clean the insert, return the sauce with another 1/2 cup stock, and resume; reduce the extra liquid after pressure cooking. - Without frozen Early Girls, use an equivalent volume of roasted canned whole tomatoes and their juices. This preserves the concentrated tomato character without relying on fresh winter tomatoes. ## Banza Pasta with Ragù, Parmesan, and Parsley Short, curved chickpea pasta catches the meat sauce. A brief toss with cooking water and Parmesan makes the sauce cling, while fresh parsley cuts through the richness. ### Ingredients - 12 oz Banza gluten-free chickpea cavatappi or elbows - 1/3 batch prepared Bolognese, approximately 3–4 cups - 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving - 1/2 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, chopped - as needed salt for the pasta water ### Instructions 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it moderately. Cook the Banza according to its package directions, stirring gently and checking early; stop when just tender, before the pasta begins to soften or split. 2. While the pasta cooks, warm one-third of the ragù in a wide saucepan over medium-low heat. 3. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta well. Add it immediately to the warm ragù with 1/4 cup cooking water. 4. Fold together gently over medium-low heat for 30–60 seconds, adding small splashes of water until the sauce coats the pasta without pooling. Avoid prolonged simmering, which can break chickpea pasta. 5. Remove from the heat and fold in the Parmesan and half the parsley. Serve immediately with the remaining parsley and additional Parmesan. ### Notes - Cook fresh pasta for each subsequent meal rather than freezing it mixed with the sauce. - Use only as much reserved cooking water as needed; chickpea pasta water can thicken the sauce quickly. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The ragù is largely hands-off under pressure, and the pasta waits until the sauce is ready. Dividing the batch before serving protects the two future meals. ### Instructions 1. The night before: thaw the roasted tomatoes in the refrigerator. 2. 0:00 - Chop the vegetables, bloom the gelatin, and prepare the liver mixture. 3. 0:15 - Render the pancetta, soften the vegetables, and cook the meat. 4. 0:45 - Deglaze, add the pressure-cooking ingredients, and seal the cooker. 5. During pressure cooking and release: grate the Parmesan, chop the parsley, and prepare shallow containers for the reserved sauce. 6. Once pressure is released: reduce and finish the ragù. Start heating the pasta water during the final 10–15 minutes of reduction. 7. Divide the finished sauce into three portions. Toss one portion with freshly cooked pasta and begin cooling the remaining portions promptly. ### Notes - Pressure build-up, meat moisture, and the thickness of the roasted tomatoes can shift the total time. ## Plating Tossing before plating distributes the ragù through every curve of pasta. A generous parsley finish keeps the bowl lively rather than uniformly rich. ### Instructions 1. Divide the sauced pasta among four warm shallow bowls, keeping the portions loosely mounded in the center. 2. Spoon any meat remaining in the pan over the pasta. Scatter generously with the reserved parsley and offer extra Parmesan at the table. ## Leftover Path Ragù freezes well without pasta, and gentle reheating restores its silky consistency. Two separately packed portions turn the batch into two easy future dinners. ### Instructions 1. Transfer the two reserved meal-size portions of sauce to shallow containers. Refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours of cooking; do not leave the full pot on the counter to cool. 2. Keep refrigerated for up to 3–4 days, or freeze the chilled sauce in labeled airtight containers for up to 3 months for best quality. 3. Thaw frozen sauce overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a covered saucepan over low heat, stirring often and adding a splash of water if needed, until it reaches 165°F throughout. 4. For each future dinner for four, cook another 12 oz Banza pasta and finish with fresh Parmesan and parsley as above. 5. Refrigerate any already-sauced pasta for up to 3–4 days and reheat gently with a little water; its texture will be softer than freshly cooked pasta. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.