One of our favorite dishes to make is Pasta Bolognese. We can’t tell you how many times we’ve made different variations of this dish, but we never tire of making it. For the first time we made our own version of Pasta Bolognese. That’s right, no recipe. We just did it straight from our brains. And it turned out pretty fucking great.
This recipe is a no frills kind of recipe, just classically beautiful, like two young ladies should be!
Classy Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 Shallot (finely diced)
- 1 Cup Celery (About 4 Stalks, finely diced)
- 1 Cup Carrots (3 Large, finely diced)
- 1 Medium Onion (finely diced)
- 1 Cup Baby Bella Mushrooms (About 9 mushrooms), finely diced)
- Meat Trio 1lb Each (Beef, Pork, Veal, Italian Sausage, it’s really up to you which ones you use)
- Garlic Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 Cup Red Wine
- 2/3 Cup Whole Milk
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 28oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 28oz Can Whole Tomatoes
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2 Basil Leaves ( Cut into Ribbons)
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Peppers
- Few Chunks of a Parmesan Rind
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic
- Kosher Salt
- Pepper
Step 1:
In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of garlic olive oil and one tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat.
Step 2:
When the oil is shimmering add the diced onions, mushrooms and shallot. Sauté for two to three minutes.
See how the oil dances?
Step 3:
Add the carrots and sauté for another three minutes. Finally, add the celery and continue cooking for at least 1 minute.
Celery has a lot of water, so adding it last is a must!
Step 4:
If needed, at a little more oil, and then add your Meat Trio. Season liberally with Kosher salt and pepper. Break and brown the meat until the meat is just barely pink.
Step 5:
Next, add your red wine and raise the heat to high. Cook until all the liquid has cooked off, about 3 to 5 minutes.
It’s okay if it takes longer, we all have different stoves, so don’t be alarmed!
Step 6:
Once the wine has been cooked off, lower the heat to medium and add the milk. Cook until most of the liquid is gone, this can take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes.
Step 7:
Add the tomato paste in and mix well.
Step 8:
If you haven’t, squish your whole tomatoes in a separate bowl, you can do it in the pot, but you run the risk of hot splatter, and we don’t think anyone wants that.
Pour your tomatoes in the pot and stir until combined. Add the 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder. At this point you can add a splash of red wine.
Step 9:
Stir in the basil, bay leaf, onion powder, garlic powder, parmesan rinds and red peppers. Taste and season accordingly, if it needs more salt or pepper or any seasoning…add it!
Lower the heat and cook un-covered for 1.5 hours.
Step 10:
After 1.5 hours of cooking, add 1 hearing tablespoon of chopped garlic. Continue cooking un-covered for 2 to 3 hours. Stir occasionally.
Again, at this point, taste and season accordingly. But go easy on the salt, the rinds have a really nice salty flavor, and release the salt flavor as they melt.
Step 11:
During the last hour of cooking, you can slowly start to defeat your sauce. This step isn’t necessary but we always defat in the last hour.
Step 12:
When the sauce is ready, cook your pasta and toss the sauce and pasta together.
*We always reserve at least a cup and half of our pasta water (after the pasta is cooked, but before you drain) and use to toss with the pasta and the sauce.
Cultured Swines 