Spaghetti Bolognese
This is a combination of various recipes that I've tried. This recipe produces a traditional Italian style bolognese, which fairly dry (just moist) and meaty - not soupy like most American versions. As in Italy, this best if you let it cook for a long time.
Ingredients
- 1 large onion or 2 small, cut into 1-inch dice
- 2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 ribs celery (or a red pepper), cut into 1-inch dice
- 4 cloves garlic
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan
- Kosher salt
- 3 pounds ground chuck, brisket or round or combination. You can use ground turkey or turkey sausage too
- 1 cup milk
- 1 can fire roasted tomato
- 1 cup red wine (or white if that's what you like)
- 1 can reduced sodium beef stock
- Water
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the onion, carrots, celery/pepper, and garlic into small pieces.
- In a large pan over medium heat, coat pan with oil. Add the chopped veggies and season generously with salt. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes. Be patient, this is where the big flavors develop. Put onto a plate or bowl and set aside
- In the same pdd the ground beef and season again generously with salt. Add more poil if necessary. Don't rush this step. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes.
- Return the vegetables to the pan with the meat
- Add the milk and cook until it has been absorbed by the meat, about 5 minutes
- Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, stock and Italian seasoning to the pan.
- If the meat is not covered, add water or stock until it is about 1 inch above the meat.
- Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything.
- Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates you will gradually need to add more, about 2 to 3 cups at a time. Don't be shy about adding water during the cooking process, you can always cook it out. This is a game of reduce and add more water. This is where big rich flavors develop. If you try to add all the water in the beginning you will have boiled meat sauce rather than a rich, thick meaty sauce. Stir and taste frequently. Season with salt, if needed (you probably will).
- Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. You can cut this step short by just reducing once
- During the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the spaghetti. Pasta water should always be well salted. Salty as the ocean! If your pasta water is under seasoned it doesn't matter how good your sauce is, your complete dish will always taste under seasoned.
- When the water is at a rolling boil add the spaghetti and cook for 1 minute less than it calls for on the package. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- While the pasta is cooking remove 1/2 of the ragu from the pot and reserve.
- Drain the pasta and add to the pot with the remaining ragu. Stir or toss the pasta to coat with the sauce. Add some of the reserved sauce, if needed, to make it about an even ratio between pasta and sauce.
- Add the reserved pasta cooking water and cook the pasta and sauce together over a medium heat until the water has reduced.
- Turn off the heat and give a big sprinkle of Parmigiano. Toss or stir vigorously. Divide the pasta and sauce into serving bowls or 1 big pasta bowl. Top with remaining grated Parmigiano. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This is the long version of the recipe. You can reduce the time by only reducing the liquid once, but the taste will not be as deep or intense
- The final meat sauce should be glistening and moist, with not a lot of liquid
- I've seen some versions where you add macarpone cheese instead of most of the milk. Haven't tried it, but it sounds good
- You can make this ahead, up to the point where you would start the pasta (i.e. about 30 minutes before the meat sauce is done, when it still has a decent amount of liquid). Cool at this point, and you can keep it in the refrigerator for a few days.