Bolognese Sauce

Bolognese is a thick, meat-based sauce, originating in Bologna, Italy, that is usually served over Tagliatelle pasta.

This is a family recipe which I recently shared with some friends from Twitter (via BarkMail, of course).  After having the recipe only a week, @kelsoterrier and his family made and enjoyed some pasta with Bolognese sauce...talk about anxious to try a new recipe!  If you decide to try it, I hope you enjoy it!



Photo courtesy of @kelsoterrier

Ingredients: 

50g (1 ¾ oz) butter

180g (6 oz) thick bacon rashers or speck, with rind removed, finely chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 celery stick, finely chopped

400g (13 oz) lean ground beef or lean beef mince

2 cups (500ml/16 fl oz) beef stock

1 cup (250ml/8 fl oz) tomato puree

½ cup (125ml/4 fl oz) red wine

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

500g (1 lb) tagliatelle pasta (or spaghetti)

freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Instructions:

1. Heat half the butter in a heavy-based frying pan.  Add the rashers/speck and cook until golden.  Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook over low heat for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Increase the heat, add the remaining butter and, when the pan is hot, add the beef.  Break up any lumps and stir to brown.  Add the beef stock, tomato puree, wine, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, over very low heat for 2-5 hours, adding a little more stock if the sauce becomes too dry. (The longer it simmers, the more flavor it will have.)

4. Cook pasta in a large pot of rapidly boiling water until al dente. Drain and divide among serving bowls. Serve the sauce over the top of the pasta and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Oz the Terrier