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Monday, April 2, 2018

Bolognese Sauce...the Italian way!

 Here are a few helpful tips when 
cooking bolognese that will make this a 
“truly tasty Italian meal”
    1. This is slow food. Do not skip, or rush
 through the ingredients or the process. 
          2. Allow your sauce to cook very gently for 
several hours to deepen the flavors.
      3. Use bacon,  because it truly enhances the flavor
   4. Use the combo of ground meats.
I  use 1 lb beef. and 
1/2 lb Italian sausage
  5. Make sure your ground meats are finely 
 broken up as you brown them.
   6Let the wine reduce by half
     6. Use Tagliatelle Noodles or fettuccine pasta- 
cook al dente- do not overcook
 7. The proper way to serve- is to toss 
the pasta with enough sauce to coat
then dish out and add more sauce to each serving. Sprinkle it with 
the cheese and chopped fresh parsley.
  8. Play a little Frank or Dino while cooking – 
with a big glass of Chianti of course!
10. Most of all,  enjoy the process. 
First, you'll need to get in the mood. Put on your bib
 apron because you're about to do some cooking!
Yes, and get out you Dean Martin CD or playlist.
Gather all the ingredients;
bacon  (or pancetta),
veggies,
chopped and ready,
Have all the herbs and spices measured and
ready to add.
Use your large heavy pot. Cook the bacon and remove.
Saute the vegetables in the bacon drippings.
Add the garlic.
I'm using ground beef and Italian sausage.
Brown the meat well. Add the seasonings.
Add the tomato paste.
Add the wine.
Add the reserved bacon, crumbled.
Add the tomatoes.
Simmer...
Add the butter, parsley, and cream.
Keep warm until ready to serve.



Bolognese Sauce
1-½ lbs ground beef, 
or (½ lb each beef, veal, sausage)
4 slices of bacon
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, (1-½ C chopped) 
2 carrots (¾ C diced) 
2 celery stalks (¾ C diced)
2 garlic cloves (1T diced)
1 t salt
 ½ t pepper
2 bay leaves
½ t thyme
½ t oregano
½ t cinnamon
½ t nutmeg
2 T tomato paste
1 C red wine
28 oz can diced tomatoes
14 oz can tomato sauce
1 C beef broth
½ C cream
2 t sugar
2 T butter
1 lb fettuccine  pasta
3 T chopped fresh parsley
1 C Parmesan cheese
In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.
Add bacon and cook until browned, 4-5 minutes.
Remove the bacon to a plate and add the onions, 
carrots, and celery to the drippings. Cook until 
soft4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, cinnamon, and
nutmeg; stirring for 30 seconds to blend. Add
 the ground meat, breaking up to cook until 
browned, about 5  minutes. Add the tomato 
paste and cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes. Add the
 wine, stirring to deglaze the pan and remove any 
browned bit from the bottom of the pan. Reduce
 by half, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes,
 tomato sauce, beef broth, and sugar. Bring to 
a boil then reduce heat to medium low and 
simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened, 
about 1-½ hours. Stir in the cream, butter, 
and parsley. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the
 bay leaves, and adjust the seasoning to taste; add
 more salt if necessary. Remove from heat, cover pot 
and keep warm until ready to serve.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water 
to a boil and cook the pasta for 8-10 minutes. 
Serve with sauce and top with parmesan cheese 
and fresh parsley. 


Enjoy!