Bolognese Recipe

Prep

Finely dice the onion, carrot and celery (a small mirepoix). Mince the garlic. Remove sausage from casings and crumble. Measure out tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, stock, milk and seasonings.

Sweat aromatics

In a medium saucepan or heavy skillet set over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted and foaming, add the diced onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Brown the meat

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef and crumbled sweet Italian pork sausage to the pan. Break up with a spoon and spread into a single layer. Let cook without stirring for 2 minutes to develop color, then stir and continue cooking until meat is nicely browned and no pink remains, about 4–6 minutes. Spoon off any excess liquid or fat if more than 1 tablespoon remains (reserve a little for flavor).

Tomato base

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to caramelize. Pour in the red wine (if using) and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom; simmer 1–2 minutes until wine is reduced slightly. Add crushed tomatoes, beef/chicken stock, dried oregano, dried basil, bay leaf, red pepper flakes (if using), salt and black pepper. Stir to combine.

Simmer gently

Bring sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially with a lid and simmer very gently for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If sauce thickens too much, add up to 1–2 tablespoons additional stock or water to loosen.

Finish with milk & adjust seasoning

After simmering, stir in the whole milk and simmer uncovered for another 3–5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in chopped parsley if using.

Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the specified salt. Add the dried pasta and cook according to package for al dente (usually 7–10 minutes depending on pasta shape), stirring occasionally.

When pasta is just shy of al dente (1 minute before package time), reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.

Add the drained pasta to the simmering Bolognese sauce and toss together over low heat for 1–2 minutes, adding a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen and help the sauce cling to the pasta.

Divide into 1–2 bowls (this recipe feeds 1–2). Sprinkle grated Parmesan or Pecorino over each serving and finish with a grind of black pepper and a pinch of chopped parsley if desired.