Although my Mom never made this luscious Bolognese sauce – I know she would have loved it. Her meatballs and sauce were her signature – and she wasn’t even Italian! I have been making this version of Bolognese sauce for a few years now – and have perfected the recipe to make it MY signature sauce! I use a traditional combination of beef, pork, and bacon (pancetta can be substituted for the bacon – but I can’t really tell the difference in the finished sauce). It has the required trinity of onions, celery and carrots, and of course mushrooms. I used a Pappardelle pasta, which is similar to the Tagliatelle that most traditional recipes call for. You can use spaghetti, or any pasta for that matter.
I don’t typically drink red wine, so when I first made this sauce, I cut the wine in half. I thought there was no way I would like the 2 whole cups of wine that it called for. Well – let me tell you, I was completely mistaken! The wine is SO important to this dish, and anything short of 2 cups is not giving this dish it’s true flavor profile!
I top each plate with a little ricotta cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh basil. Both beautiful, AND delicious!
You will need some time to prepare this sauce (1 hour for prep, and 2 hours to simmer) – but you will be rewarded in the end. Start with a large, heavy, dutch oven. such as a 5 1/2 qt. Le Creuset. I imagine this could be simmered in a crockpot for sure – although I have not done so. Do all of the chopping first, then build the sauce.
Recipe:
4 oz fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/4 lb bacon or pancetta, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 bay leaves, and 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 1/2 lb ground beef (80/20)
1 1/2 lb ground pork
2 c milk
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes (I prefer fire roasted for best flavor)
2 cups dry red wine
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 lb Parpardelle or tagliatelle pasta
Ricotta cheese
fresh basil
Olive oil for drizzling
Add all chopped ingredients to a bowl. Add the garlic, and stir together.
Place into a blender or food processor, in small amounts, and pulse til finely ground.
Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to the dutch oven. Add herbs, and cook over low heat, stirring for a few min., just til the oil is fragrant. Then remove and discard the herbs.
Pour ground veggie mixture into the flavored oil in the dutch oven. Turn heat to med. Stir til cooked down for about 10 min.
Add beef and pork, and continue cooking over med until the meat is no longer pink. Stir to break up the meat until no clumps remain.
Add milk, and simmer for 10 min.
Add tomatoes, wine, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
The mixture is not too pretty at this point – be patient as slow simmering will work it’s magic! Lower heat to LOW and simmer covered, with lid slightly ajar, for 2 hours, until thickened. Stir occasionally. The heavenly aroma will fill your house!
Prepare your pasta according to package directions. Place a pasta serving into a pasta bowl, and top with a generous amount of the bolognese sauce. Top with a spoonful of ricotta cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and some chopped fresh basil.
