Classic Bolognese Meat Sauce (bolognaise)

Little Sand Fairy's Note:

I found this in an Italian cookbook by Marcella Hazan. Its a lovely rich sauce. Its the traditional recipe for Bolognese sauce which can be served with Tagliatelle, rigatoni, conchiglie or fusilli but is never served with Spagetti in Italy!

• Total Time: 3 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup onion , chopped
• 2⁄3; cup celery , chopped
• 2⁄3; cup carrot , chopped
• ¾ lb ground beef (preferably chuck and not too lean)
• salt
• black pepper , freshly ground
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1⁄8; teaspoon nutmeg , freshly ground
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 ½ cups chopped tomatoes (canned Italian)
• 1 ¼ lbs pasta (fresh weight NOT DRIED)
• parmigiano-reggiano cheese , freshly grated

Directions:

1. Put the oil, 3 tbsp butter and chopped onion in the pot, turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring the onion until it becomes translucent.
2. Add the celery and carrot and stir for two minutes while cooking to coat them well.
3. Add the ground beef, a large pinch of salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
4. Cook the beef while crumbling it with a fork until the beef has lost its red colour.
5. Add the milk and let it simmer gently, stirring frequently until the milk has completely bubbled away.
6. Add the nutmeg.
7. Add the wine and let it simmer until it has evaporated.
8. Add the tomatoes and stir well. When the tomatoes start to bubble turn the heat down so that it is just simmering with the occasional bubble breaking the surface.
9. Cook uncovered for 3 hours, stirring from time to time. While it is cooking you will find the sauce dries out so continue to add a 1/2 cup of water when necessary to stop it sticking. However there should not be water left at the end of the 3 hours. The fat will separate from the sauce and this should happen.
10. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary and toss with the pasta and rest of butter. Serve with parmesan on the side.

Reviews

[ChefAmanda]

This is so good! What a wonderful sauce. The only thing I did different was use Extra Virgin Olive Oil instead of Vegetable oil and I left out the celery and carrots because my husband hates them! I followed everything else and it was fantastic! I will definitely make this again.

[Gruner Veltliner]

This holiday season my sister & brother in law were kind enough to let us stay, even though they have a new baby and a hyper four year old to deal with. We decided cooking them a simple but luxurious dinner was a good way to say thank you (and make their lives easier,) and I chose this recipe to try out. What a treat. It was rich, hearty, simple (we found all the ingredients in their small-town grocery) and not only did the adults adore it, but the picky little one loved it too. "I don't hate tomatoes anymore!" the four year old raved. Great sucess overall! I followed the recipe almost exactly, with perhaps a heavier hand on the wine and tomatoes than it calls for, using that moisture instead of water as the sauce simmered. Add a simple salad and garlic bread, this is bound to be a hit. Thanks!

[MistyCat82]

How exciting! I made this recipe a few years ago, and subsequently lost it. I have been searching for it ever since. This is one of the best tomato-based pasta sauces I have ever had, and actually makes me want to eat "spaghetti". (I am a avid spaghetti hater.) I cannot wait to try it again. For those who love pasta, but cringe at the thought of eating all of those empty calories: One trick I have learned over the years is to use thinly sliced, boiled zucchini and yellow squash instead. The squashes are bland enough that you cannot really tell a difference once they are covered in sauce.