Perhaps one of our favorite pasta sauces is the Beef Bolognese. It’s a good, hearty ragù sauce that fills you up with some protein to balance out the carb-loaded pasta. Bolognese sauce comes from the vibrant, northern Italian city of Bologna, though exactly what constitutes an authentic sauce & pasta combination is hard to say.
Historians and foodies bicker over the type of pasta to use: purists argue for tagliatelle,while others even opt for macaroni noodles. Some say tomatoes and tomato paste should be kept to a minimum. One thing is for sure: a good bolognese has a soffrito base of aromatic and flavorful veggies. Our recipe incorporates sautéed onion, carrots and celery. It makes for a sauce with rich flavor and wonderful texture. Read on for the full recipe…
Bolognese Rag˘ Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons minced onion
- 2 tablespoons minced carrot
- 2 tablespoons minced celery
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3/4 lb ground beef chuck
- 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- table salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 28oz can whole tomatoes, finely chopped, juice reserved
1. Cook the bacon in a pan until crispy. Pat with paper towels, then crumble.
2. Heat the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, and celery. SautË until softened but now browned (about 6 minutes).
3. Add ground meat, bacon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Use the edge of a wooden spoon to crumble meats with the edge of a wooden spoon so no clumps remain. Cook the meat until it loses its raw color, but has not yet browned (about 3 minutes).
4. Add milk and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the milk evaporates and only clear fat remains.
5. Add wine and bring to a simmer until the wine evaporates. Add tomatoes and their juice to bring to a simmer.
6. Reduce the head to low so the sauce just barely continues to simmer until the liquid has evaporated (about 3 hours.)
7. Adjust seasonings with extra salt to taste and serve.
8. Enjoy!