Bolognese Sauce
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and minced
2 celery stalks, minced
1 package of mushrooms (white button or cremini), sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons tomato paste (I love the tubes you can buy now!)
2 lbs ground beef (at least 93% lean)
1 lb mild Italian sausage (buy uncased if you can, otherwise get the links and remove the casings)
1 teaspoon red pepper flake
1/2 cup red wine
1- 16oz can diced tomato
1- 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1- 16oz can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 Tablespoon oregano
1 Tablespoon dried basil
salt
black pepper
Heat a large dutch oven or sautee pan over medium-high heat with ~3 Tbsp olive oil. When oil is hot, add onion, celery, carrot and cook for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook another 5 minutes. When vegetables have softened slightly, add the ground beef and sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break up meat and cook until meat mixture is browned and fully cooked through. Drain/spoon out any excess grease.
Once the meat is cooked through, add the tomato paste and stir to fully combine. Add the red wine and use wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine has mostly evaporated, add in the canned tomatoes (diced, sauce, crushed), red pepper flakes, and seasonings - oregano, basil, Italian seasoning. Also add 1 Tablespoon each salt and black pepper. You can adjust if you need more later on.
Reduce to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for at least 1 hour. You will need to check back and stir every 15 minutes or so, adjusting the heat as needed. The longer this stays on the heat, the more the flavors will come together.
Serve on top of pasta - rigatoni, orecchiette, penne, cavatappi - something short and lined to hold onto this wonderful sauce.
Now go call your family and friends and invite them over for a great dinner!!!
Here are my tips 'n tricks:
- use fresh basil if you have it - added right before serving
- must top with fresh grated parmesan or your favorite cheese!
- feel free to adjust seasonings to those you have in your pantry - just keep with that Italian seasoning theme
- this is great as leftovers - you can make it a day ahead and reheat on the stovetop; just add a splash of chicken stock so it doesn't stick to the pan
- If you do make the bolognese ahead of time, do NOT make the pasta and combine ahead of time. Pasta will get too mushy and overcooked. Always keep separate and make pasta fresh as needed!
