Classic Bolognese Meat Sauce (bolognaise)

Good, good sauce. My daughter was suffering from the side effects of chemo and I needed something that was very tasty without being spicy to tempt her appetite and satisfy my family.
I modified the recipe by using more onions, carrots, and celery (minced fine in the food processor), a can of tomato paste instead of chopped, and a can of chicken broth instead of milk. I gently simmered the sauteed vegetables, meat, and liquids (pinch of thyme and salt also) for about 1 1/2 hours so the flavors could build.
Then I made a bechamel sauce (1/4 cup of butter and flour, pinch of nutmeg and 2 cups milk), stirred 15 ounces of ricotta and a one pound bag of chopped spinach. Mixed this sauce with one pound of tender-cooked rigatoni and layered the sauced pasta with the Bolognese sauce and Parmesan cheese. Baked it for a lovely finish.
Delicious enough for all the family to enjoy (I'm southern Italian and we tend to cook "molte robusto"), and gentle enough for my poor kiddo with a sick stomach and throat issues.
That's therapeutic cooking at its best!

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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.

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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!

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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.

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