Boise Bolognese
This is a tweak of Marcella Hazan’s Bolognese. It may seem sacrilege to mess with a recipe from the “doyenne of Italian cuisine”. I have added more vegetables and aromatics. I recommend the best quality beef and Italian-made pasta. I think it strange that someone might have angst about spending 6-7 dollars on a package of amazing pasta, but have no issue spending the same amount on a fancy coffee drink at Starbucks. Rusticella D abruzzo is my favorite. Garofolo brand is also very good, cheaper, and is usually sold at Costco.
Boise Bolognese
2 tablespoon EVOO, divided
2 tablespoons butter (or pancetta)
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 1/2 cup yellow onion, medium dice
1 cup celery, medium dice
1 cup carrot, medium dice
generous pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 whole nutmeg, freshly grated
1 pound best quality ground beef
1 cup whole milk
1 cup dry white wine
1 14.5 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 bay leaf
salt and freshly ground black pepper, season throughout preparation
3 cups good quality dry pasta, 3/4 cup per person
freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano or a mix, serve at the table
fresh basil, chiffonade (optional)
Heat a Dutch-oven pot, heating the butter and 1 Tbsp EVOO on medium heat until butter melts. Add the onions and sweat until slightly translucent. Add the garlic, celery, carrots, hot pepper flakes and nutmeg, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables start to soften.
Separately, in a large sauté pan, heat 1 Tbsp EVOO. Add the ground beef, breaking it up into small pieces. On medium heat, cook until slightly brown. This will take several minutes. Add the meat to the Dutch oven with the vegetables.
Add the milk and on medium heat, reduce until only a small amount of liquid is left in the pot. Add the wine and repeat. Finally add the tomatoes and tomato paste, bay leaves, and additional salt and pepper to taste. Remember as the sauce reduces (less liquid), the sauce will taste saltier. On a low simmer, with cover on, cook sauce for 2 hours. Eat right away, or even better, let sit in the refrigerator overnight and reheat.
Cook pasta as directed but preferably al dente. Reserve some of the pasta water before draining. Put pasta back in pasta pot and to this add 1 cup of sauce per serving of pasta. If sauce is too thick, add a small amount of pasta liquid. Heat, then plate. Add additional sauce to plated pasta. Serve with cheese and basil.
