Bolognese Sauce
Rich and yummy sauce for pasta. Use the methodology here as a guide; substitute and adapt for what you have on hand. I have at times added chopped bell peppers, or substituted jarred marinara for some or all of the tomatoes. If using ground pork instead of sausage, you may want to season sauce more heavily with salt and pepper, or add a pinch of crushed red pepper. Bolognese can be cooled and stored in refrigerator for 4 days. Also freezes well.
Adapted from Serious Eats
Yield 8 servings
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
2 pounds ground beef
1 pound bulk Italian sausage or ground pork
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 pound finely diced pancetta or bacon
1 large onion, finely minced
2 carrots, finely chopped
4 ribs celery, finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 taeaspoon ground sage
1/2 cup chopped parsley, divided use (you can use tender stems for the first half)
2 cups dry red wine (white is ok)
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup powdered gelatin (4 to 5 packets), optional but highly recommended
28 ounces canned tomatoes
1 cup whole milk
2 bay leaves
1 cup heavy cream
3 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped basil
| 1 | Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add meat, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Remove to bowl. |
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| 2 | Add butter and pancetta to the pot over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until fat has mostly rendered but butter and pancetta have not yet started to brown, about 8 minutes. Add onion, and cook until beginning to soften. Then add carrots, celery, garlic, sage, and half of parsley and cook, stirring until vegetables are completely softened but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, until mostly evaporated. |
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| 3 | Meanwhile, place stock in a medium bowl and sprinkle with gelatin. Set aside. |
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| 4 | Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). |
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| 5 | Purée tomatoes in the can using an immersion blender or transfer a countertop blender and purée until smooth. Add to pot, then add reserved stock, milk, and bay leaves. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. |
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| 6 | Add meat back to pot. Bring sauce to a simmer, then transfer to oven, uncovered. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has almost completely reduced and sauce is rich and thick underneath a heavy layer of fat, 3 to 4 hours. If sauce still looks liquidy after 4 hours, transfer to stovetop and finish cooking at a brisk simmer, stirring frequently. |
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| 7 | Skim off most of the fat, leaving behind about 1 cup. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, remaining parsley and basil. Bring to a boil on stovetop, stirring constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. |
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