Bolognese
By Chef Michael DeLone
While this recipe takes some time and has a few steps, the Bolognese can be made in larger batches and freezes well. This recipe serves four.
Ingredients
1 # [pound] uncooked fettuccini (I make homemade, but two brands in my pantry when in a pinch are either De Cecco or De Lallo)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup each chopped bacon and onion
¾ cup each diced carrots and celery
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 # [pounds] ground beef
½ # [pound] ground veal
½ # [pound] ground pork
¼ cup tomato paste
1½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or other red wine (but only one you would drink out of the bottle. don’t ever cook with subpar wine thinking it won’t ruin a dish)
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
28 oz. canned crushed tomatoes
¾ cup Parmesan cheese rinds
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 tbsp. fresh basil, chiffonade
¼ tsp. kosher salt and cracked fresh pepper to taste
Method
· Heat a large Dutch oven on low heat and add oil, onions, bacon, carrots, celery, and garlic
· Sauté for 10 ten minutes until the vegetables are soft and the bacon is starting to brown
· Add the beef, veal and pork and cook for 5 minutes or so stirring until the meats are no longer pink
· Add the tomato paste, salt, and pepper and wine and cook for roughly 5 minutes
· Add the chicken stock, milk, tomatoes, Parmesan rinds, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves
· Simmer for an hour and a half, stirring frequently, and scraping down the sides of the pot as needed
· Remove the bay leaves and cheese rinds and add more salt and pepper to taste and thyme
· Meanwhile cook pasta according to directions on the box and then stir about a quarter of the sauce into the pound of cooked pasta. Divide the rest of the sauce in three separate containers and freeze for later use
· In a food processor, whip the cheese, basil, salt, and pepper until light and fluffy
· Divide pasta Bolognese evenly into four bowls
· Add a healthy dollop of whipped ricotta and more fresh pepper
· Serve and enjoy!