Homemade Bolognese sauce is one of life's greatest pleasures. Slow simmered and packed with aromatic veggies, beef (or pork or veal or a combination of those) milk and tomato, Bolognese is a gift to give yourself. This is the sauce people think of when they hear "meat sauce", and is often seen bubbling away on the stovetops of the most revered Italian nonnas on TV and in movies. The best lasagnes rely on Bolognese sauce to make them great, and a simple dish of handmade tagliatelle or pappardelle Bolognese can change your life forever.
This is the most wonderful example of a food hug
This version of Bolognese was prepared with what I had on hand, and incorporates ideas from Marcella Hazan's famous Bolognese sauce along with a few techniques I've picked up over the years to make it easy. The best trick I've found is baking the sauce in the oven instead of simmering it on the stove. You don't have to worry about stirring as much and you can kind of "set it and forget it" after you've done the hard work. You've got to invest at least five hours (even more if you like) in this recipe, so while it isn't hard to make, you can't start on it right before dinner. If you let this slowly cook all day, your patience will be rewarded with an unforgettable dining experience.
Freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano is a must for this one
Oven Baked Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup finely grated carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped mushrooms (I used velvet pioppini but crimini would work well too)
1/2 lb ground beef (80/20 works well - don't use lean beef here you need the fat)
1/2 tsp kosher salt, and more to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup milk (half and half also works)
light sprinkle of nutmeg, (freshly grated is best)
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups tomato passata (canned puree can work too)
Method:
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Heat oil and butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add carrots and celery and cook until softened. Add tomato paste and cook for two minutes, stirring. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook for one or two minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add in ground beef and stir to combine, breaking up meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Cook meat until no longer pink but not yet browned. Add milk to the pot and stir to combine. Grate in just a pinch of nutmeg. Continue to cook, stirring frequently until there's no liquid left in the pot (30-40 minutes). Add wine. Scrape up all the bits stuck to the pan, and continue to cook until all the wine is cooked out and there's no liquid left in the pot (30-40 minutes). Add tomato and stir to combine. Bake sauce for at least three hours, checking on it and giving it a quick stir every 30-40 minutes. If the pot gets too dry, add 1/2 cup water at a time. I added about 2 cups water total during the cooking process. It's ready when your house smells amazing and the fat in the sauce starts to separate from the tomato - you'll see the oil on the top and sides of the pot - that is exactly what you want - when you stir it it will re-emulsify.
To serve:
Bolognese is great on any wide, flat noodle, on soft polenta, or in lasagne. We had farfalle so that's what I used. This recipe will dress 1 pound of pasta American style (even sauce to noodle ratio) or 1 1/2 pound of pasta Italian style (more pasta than sauce). Which ever you choose, save some of the starchy water you cooked your pasta in. Cooke pasta according to package instructions for al dente. Add the hot cooked pasta directly to the sauce, pour in about 1/2 cup pasta water, and a few tablespoons of butter. Stir like crazy over low heat to incorporate everything. Serve in bowls and top with freshly grated or shaved parmesan cheese.
Comments