Saturday, 26 May 2012

QUICK AND EASY PEASY BOLOGNESE SAUCE with fetuccine

Bolognese sauce (or ragu alla Bolognese), is a classic Italian meat sauce that originated in the city of Bologna, the capital of the Emilia–Romagna region in Northern Italy.  Bologna is a beautiful university town with a long and impressive cultural history. 




A classic Bolognese contains milk or cream and some type of cured meat such as pancetta. I have chosen to omit the cured meat from my sauce recipe. However, adding a little milk or cream makes the sauce velvety.

An interesting fact is that the city of Bologna has created a standardised recipe for "ragu alla Bolognese." That recipe has been deposited for safekeeping with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce. My recipe for Bolognese sauce is deposited in a drawer in my kitchen. Which of the two recipes is more important?  




This easy to make recipe will yield a dense, silky, multi-dimensional sauce. If there are any leftovers, they can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 1 month.

Ingredients:
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 1 large red onion, grated 
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped fine
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3 ripe tomatoes, skins removed, chopped
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • red wine, amount according to taste
  • For the pasta:
  • 1 pound pasta; fettuccine is a good option because this is a hearty sauce that needs a hearty pasta
  • chopped parsley and basil
  • grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • black pepper
Directions:
  • Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven and add the onions, carrots and celery.
  • Sauté until the vegetables are soft. Keep stirring and add the garlic. Cook for about a minute.
  • Add the ground beef and cook, stirring to mix with the vegetables. Keep stirring and cook until all the meat is no longer pink. 
  • Season with salt and pepper and mix. 
  • Add the oregano, mix, and cook for about a minute
  • Add the tomato paste and mix well.
  • Add the wine, lower the heat and cook until the sauce is reduced 
  • Add the tomatoes and bay leaf.
  • Mix, keep the heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for twenty minutes, stirring occasionally so that the sauce does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • Turn off the heat and add the whole milk
  • Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. 
  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. 
  • Drain and place on a serving platter. 
  • Season with Pecorino Romano cheese, chopped parsley, black pepper and basil.
  • Spoon some of the sauce on top and mix. 
  • Serve the sauce alongside the pasta.