Bolognese sauce is all about building layers. You’ll repeat ingredients and technique throughout. It’s take a bit of patience and love.
Ingredients:
1 large onion (1 cup) finely chopped and squeeze dried
3 large celery ribs (1 cup) finely chopped and squeeze dried
2 large carrots (1 cup) finely chopped.
2-3 large garlic cloves- minced
3 tbs finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Ground Nutmeg
3/4 cup dry red wine
Dried oregano
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1.25 cups strained tomatoes
3/4 cup chicken stock
Directions: I use my Kitchen Aid food processor and pulse the onion and celery individually. They both produce a lot of water so pulse gently to keep from pureeing these vegetables. Start with the onion and once finely chopped, dump the onion onto heavy duty paper towel lined with a tea towel and roll like sushi over the sink to express all the excess liquid. Measure out one cup of the onion and set aside. Repeat this process with the celery. For the carrot, it is a dry vegetable so you do not need to pulse or express extra moisture.
Add tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and one tablespoon of butter to a heavy bottom pot and heat over med-low heat. Add the vegetables. Stir to combine. You do not want to sear the vegetables, you want to soften them so stir frequently and monitor and adjust your heat.
When the vegetable mixture is almost done, turn the heat off and add 1/2 tsp kosher salt, a pinch of black pepper, the garlic, and 2 tbs parsley.
Take the veg mix out of the pot and set aside. Wipe out the pot and heat 2 tablespoons of evoo on med-high heat and add in meat. Break up and stir constantly. Season with a 1 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of fresh pepper, 1 tbs parsley, 1 teaspoon dried oregano and pinch of nutmeg. Stir to combine.
When the meat is just cooked through and the fats have released, add drain meat in a colander and let drain of all oils for about 5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Add to food processor and pulse about 20-30 times until the meat is well combines and finely minced, but not pureed. Add back to pot.
Time to combine the meat & veg and start to really add some flavor.
Over med-low heat, add vegetable to meat and stir well to combine.
Add:
1 tsp salt
.5 tbs oregano
fresh pepper
3/4 cup dry red wine
stir and cook 1 minute
add 3 tablespoons tomato paste and 1.25 cup strained tomatoes.
Stir very well to combine and lower heat.
Cook and stir for about 3 minutes over low heat. Add a pinch of nutmeg. Add about 3/4 cup of chicken stock. Reduce.
Slowly add about 1/2 cup of milk and stir.
Taste for seasoning knowing you have not added parmesan which will add a good deal of saltiness.
Turn off the heat and let the meat come down in temperature a bit. Stir in 1 cup of very good quality grated parmesan.
Tip: Adding a spring of two of rosemary and letting the oils infuse adds another level of flavor.
