Spaghetti Bolognese
I love pasta almost as much as I love Mexican food. Any shape or size, give me a sauce and some Parmesan cheese and I will have at it! Unfortunately not all of my family shares in my love. However, since I do the cooking I am able to pop it on the menu as much as I want. One of the perks I enjoy about being in charge of the kitchen. Plus I can just say “Hey I am a food blogger. I have to give the people what they want”. That seems to quiet them down.
I had been wanting to try a bolognese sauce for quite some time. I was just worried because everyone I talked to made it seem like it was such a hard sauce to make. Once I tried it I asked myself what in the heck took me so long! Yes, it takes a while to make but trust me, it is well worth the work. The sauce is so creamy and rich. It is just a huge hug for your tummy!
This was one pasta that everyone enjoyed. Don’t pass up the ricotta cheese on top either. It was icing on the cake! I will keep this on on the list of recipes to do again. I know you will love it too!
Spaghetti Bolognese
- 2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms, wiped of grit
- 1/4 pound pancetta or slab bacon, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 1/2 pound ground beef
- 2 cups milk
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups dry red wine
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound spaghetti (I used tagiatelle pasta though)
- Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves
- Fresh ricotta cheese
Reconstitute the mushrooms in boiling water for 20 minutes until tender, drain and coarsely chop.
Puree the mushrooms, pancetta, onion, celery stalks, carrots, garlic, together in a blender.
In a heavy-bottomed pot add olive oil, bay leaves, herbs and cook gently until fragrant, then add vegetable puree and continue to cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes.
Raise the heat a bit and add the ground pork and beef; brown until the meat is no longer pink, breaking up the clumps with a wooden spoon. Add the milk and simmer until the liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Carefully pour in the tomatoes, and wine and season with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat and cover. Slowly simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring now and then, until the sauce is very thick. Taste again for salt and pepper.
When you are ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm. Drain the pasta well and toss with the Bolognese sauce.
Serve with a good scoop of fresh ricotta cheese and garnish with some shredded basil, grated Parmigiano and a drizzle of olive oil.
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