Pasta Bolognese

This is my take on a bolognese sauce... it is a hybrid of my Sicilian mother-in-law's "Sugo" and a traditional bolognese. My mother-in-law made the BEST Italian meat sauce, and I have her to thank for passing down her Italian cooking tips to me.

My sauce has evolved from being mostly tomatoes with a little meat, to mostly meat and less tomatoes. My never-ending quest to get more protein in my diet has spurred this evolution. My views on pasta have changed as well. I eat a lot less pasta (and wheat in general) than I used to. When I do, I make sure it is organic or imported from Italy. I want to avoid the herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides that our hybridized wheat is treated with in the US, the worst being glyphosate (also known as Roundup). This is one of the main reasons that people who have issues with gluten are constantly saying that they can eat all the pasta and pizza they want while in Italy without any adverse reactions. I could go on about how I feel about this subject, but I will save that for another post! So because of this, I buy organic pasta, or pasta that is made in Italy with Italian wheat. We have a great little Italian market here in San Clemente called Pronto Italian Market. It is right next door to their restaurant, which is very good! The market has a great variety of imported Italian pasta to choose from as well as San Marzano tomatoes. I have also found imported brands at Gelson's and other grocery stores.

Speaking of Tomatoes...

One of the most important ingredients in a bolognese is the tomatoes. I always use certified San Marzano tomatoes in all of my Italian cooking. Certified San Marzano tomatoes are guaranteed to be grown in a specific region of Italy, near Mount Vesuvius, according to strict quality standards, ensuring a consistent, sweeter, and less acidic flavor with thicker flesh and fewer seeds compared to regular tomatoes. The lower acid means less issues with heartburn and acid reflux which a lot of people deal with (including me) after a big bowl of pasta bolognese.

Here are 3 examples of brands that make certified San Marzano tomatoes...Look for the D.O.P on the label. You can find them in most markets these days. Trust me...they are worth the extra cost!

And on to the Meat...

This is the Pancetta I like to use. I buy it at Trader Joes and keep it in the freezer for bolognese and other soups/stews.

The other key ingredient is the meat. I often make this bolognese with lean ground beef only, but for special dinners I love using a blend of beef, pork and veal. I think the perfect blend is 1 lb of grass fed, lean ground beef, 1/2 pound of lean ground pork, and 1/2 pound of ground veal. Over the holidays, I made a big batch of bolognese for a family dinner with 1 pound grass-fed ground sirloin, 1 pound ground bison, and 1 pound ground wild boar, and it was so good! I purchased all of the meat from Wild Fork Foods, and it was very affordable. I have seen bison and wild boar at Whole Foods, but it was a lot more expensive. You can mix and match the meat and quantities of each based on your taste or what you can easily find. I also add a small package of diced pancetta, but bacon works as well. I find that 2 pounds of meat to one 28 oz can of tomatoes is just right. To downsize, go with 1 pound of meat to a 14 oz can of tomatoes, and for 3 pounds of meat, I use one 28 oz can plus a 14 oz can...you get the idea!

I add fresh basil to my sauce, which is not traditionally in a Bolognese, but we love the flavor it adds. It is not crucial how much, just a good handful. I usually buy one of those large plastic packs and end up using a little over half of it. Just stack your basil leaves and thinly slice them (chiffonade). Save some to garnish your bowl as well. And lastly, but still very important, is SALT! I used to wonder why my sauce never tasted as good as my mother-in-law's, and then I saw how much salt she added. It makes all the difference!

My favorite tool for browning ground meat and breaking up whole tomatoes is this little gadget! If you don't have one, just use a wooden spoon.

Pasta Bolognese

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 4-ounce package of diced pancetta, OR 4 ounces of bacon, diced

• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped small

• 1 large carrot, peeled and grated on a box grater

• 5 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 lbs of ground beef, or a mix of beef, pork, and veal - see notes above

• kosher salt and black pepper

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 cup good quality red wine (something you would drink)

• 1 28-ounce can whole Italian tomatoes, preferably certified San Marzano

• 2 bay leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 bunch of fresh basil, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup), plus extra for garnishing if desired

• 1 pound of your favorite pasta... I like spaghetti, rigatoni, or mostaccioli

• freshly grated Parmesan for serving

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat has rendered and the pancetta has browned...about 5 minutes. Without draining any fat, add the onions and carrots and cook for another 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent and soft. Add the garlic, beef, pork, veal, and 2 teaspoons of salt & plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Brown the meat, breaking it up with a spoon. Once all of the meat is cooked through (about 5 minutes), stir in the tomato paste and red wine and cook for another minute or two.

2. Add the canned tomatoes, breaking up the whole tomatoes with a spoon. Bring to a simmer and add the dried herbs, sugar, and bay leaves.

3. Cook with a lid on but cracked just a bit over very low heat, stirring occasionally, for at least 90 minutes, but up to 3 hours. You want to keep it at a bare simmer. If you cook it on the longer side (which I often do because it is easy to get started earlier in the day and just let it simmer on the stove until dinner), cover the pot all the way after about 90 minutes to keep any more liquid from evaporating.

4. Before serving, add in the fresh basil and stir well to combine. Taste for seasoning at this point; you will probably need another teaspoon of salt. Salt is KEY to making this sauce flavorful!

5. About 30 minutes before you are ready to eat, cook your pasta to al dente in a large pot of salted water. Once the pasta is done, drain well and add about a cup of sauce to the pasta, tossing to coat.

6. Serve topped with the bolognese and plenty of freshly grated parmesan cheese.