Name: Charlie's Trio Cafes Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbs unsalted butter; 1 large yellow onion; 2 medium carrots; 2 stalks celery stalks; 4 cloves garlic; 400 g ground beef (80/20); 200 g ground pork; 200 g Italian sausage (optional: removed casing and crumbled) or prepared meatballs; 2 tbs tomato paste; 800 g canned crushed tomatoes; 250 ml beef or chicken stock; 150 ml dry red wine; 120 ml whole milk; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp dried thyme; 1 leaf bay leaf; 1.5 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes; 400 g dried spaghetti; 80 g parmesan cheese, grated; 8 leaves fresh basil leaves; 1 tbs salt for pasta water

Method

Sauce Base

Prepare vegetables

Peel and finely dice the onion. Peel and finely dice the carrots. Trim and finely dice the celery. Mince the garlic cloves and set all aromatics aside.

Sweat aromatics

Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When the butter foams, add the diced onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 8–10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.

Meat

Brown meats

Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground beef and ground pork to the pot in an even layer. Let sit undisturbed 2 minutes to develop color, then break up with a spoon and continue browning until no pink remains, about 6–8 minutes. If using Italian sausage removed from casings, add it now and cook until browned and fully cooked, breaking up any large pieces. If using precooked meatballs, brown them in a separate skillet with a little oil until nicely seared, then set aside to add later.

Deglaze

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by about half, 3–5 minutes.

Tomatoes & Liquids

Combine liquids

Add the crushed tomatoes and stock to the pot. Stir to combine. Add the milk — this softens the acidity and enriches the sauce. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Season and simmer

Stir in dried oregano, dried thyme, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper. Reduce heat to low so the sauce barely simmers. Partially cover the pot and cook slowly for at least 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring every 15–20 minutes. For deeper flavor, simmer up to 3–4 hours, adding a splash of stock or water if the sauce becomes too thick. If you browned separate meatballs, nestle them into the sauce during the last 30 minutes to finish cooking and absorb flavor.

Finishing & Pasta

Adjust seasoning and texture

Remove the bay leaf. Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper. If you prefer a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to lightly purée a portion (avoid over-blending—leave texture). Stir in half the grated Parmesan and chopped fresh basil leaves just before serving.

Cook spaghetti

About 12 minutes before serving, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the tablespoon of salt. Cook the dried spaghetti according to package directions until al dente (usually 8–10 minutes). Reserve 120 ml (about 1/2 cup) of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Combine pasta and sauce

Add the drained spaghetti directly to the sauce pot (or add sauce to a large serving bowl) and toss over low heat for 1–2 minutes, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta. If you used separate seared meatballs, place them on top of the plated pasta and spoon sauce over.

Serve

Divide among plates, sprinkle with remaining grated Parmesan and extra torn basil leaves. Serve immediately.