Authentic Bolognese Sauce |
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Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 240 Minutes |
Ready In: 270 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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I found this recipe on and I finally got around to trying it last night... absolutely delicious! My daughter says it tastes just like the Bolognese we've had in Italy. The surprise ingredient is milk... who knew? Don't rush this sauce... it really needs those 4 hours on a low simmer to develop all the wonderful flavors. (For great step by step photos go to /2010/09/08/italy/how-to-make-an-authentic-bolognese-sauce/) Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil |
4 tablespoons butter |
1 large yellow onion, finely and evenly diced |
4 small carrots, finely and evenly diced |
4 stalks celery hearts, finely and evenly diced |
4 garlic cloves, very finely diced |
1/4 lb pancetta, diced (1/4 to ƒ 1/2-inch cubes) |
kosher salt |
fresh ground black pepper |
2 lbs ground beef |
1 cup dry white wine (like a chardonnay) |
2 cups milk |
1 (28 ounce) can san marzano tomatoes, diced (you will use both the liquid as well as the tomatoes) |
1 cup beef stock |
Directions:
1. Place a large saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter in the oil. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic with a good pinch of salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the diced pancetta and cook for a further 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened and pancetta is golden.
2. Increase the heat to high and add the meat a third at a time, stirring and breaking lumps with a spoon between each addition. Adding the meat gradually allows the water to evaporate – which is key if you want to brown your meat and not boil it. After the last addition, when no pink can be spotted in the meat and no lumps remain, set a timer to 15 minutes. You want your meat to caramelize and even become crispy in spots. More water will evaporate and flavors will concentrate. You want golden bits of meat to stick to the bottom of your pan – this flavorful crust will then be deglazed with white wine. Watch over your pan as you don’t want your meat to burn. When you see some serious caramelization action happening, lower heat to medium to reach the end of your 15-minute sautéing time (on my stove, that’s after about 8-9 minutes).
3. Over medium heat, pour the white wine into the sauce pan. With a wooden spoon, scrape all the brown bits stuck to the bottom of your pan. Push the meat all around to make sure you scrape it all off. By the time you’re finished, the wine will be evaporated (2-3 minutes). Be careful not to let the meat stick again (lower the heat if necessary).
4. Add milk, diced tomatoes (with liquid), beef stock, 1 teaspoon salt and a good grinding of pepper. Bring to a boil and then lower to the lowest heat and let simmer very slowly, half-covered, for 4 hours. Stir once in a while. If your sauce starts sticking before the end of your cooking time, lower the heat (if possible) and/or add a bit of stock or water. In the end, the sauce should be thick, more oil- than water-based and thick like oatmeal. Adjust the seasoning one last time – don’t be afraid of adding more salt (tasting each time you add some), it is this recipe’s key seasoning.
5. To serve: Reheat the sauce. Mix in a knob or two of butter and about two generous tablespoons of freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano per serving – these last additions will produce an incredibly creamy flavor. Drain your pasta very well and return to the pot. Spoon some sauce, just enough to coat the pasta. Serve in bowls with a few leaves of basil sprinkled on top and more freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano, to taste.
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