PASTA BOLOGNESE

(Serves 6-8)

1 small onion, minced (about 1 cup) 

1 medium-sized carrot, peeled and finely shredded (about ½ cup)

2 stalks celery, with leaves, minced (about ½ cup) 

1 pound ground beef 

1 pound ground pork

½ cup dry red wine 

1 tablespoon tomato paste 

1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed with hands

½ 14.5-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed with hands

4 bay leaves

Salt 

Warm water (up to 4 cups) 

The most hands-on work with a slow cooked sauce like this Bolognese is the preparing of the vegetables. Mince the onion and celery as finely as you can. The carrot, you should shred on the second smallest holes of a box grater. Finer cut veggies melt into the sauce as it cooks, making it silky and delicious, so it’s worth taking the time to chop them up as small as possible. 

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot, season with a pinch of salt and sauté until softened, and the onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the pork and beef and season with a pinch of salt. Use a wooden spoon to crumble up the meats while they cook and let them cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the wine and let the liquid cook down for 5 minutes, using your wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan as it does. Next, add the tomato paste and the liquid from the canned tomatoes. Use your hands to crush the whole tomatoes up into pieces as you add them to the sauce. Season with a pinch of salt and add the bay leaves. Bring up to a boil and then reduce to low, so the sauce is at a gentle simmer. Let the sauce cook for 2-3 hours, depending on how much time you have. Add a quarter cup of warm water at the hour and a half mark; and then splash in a bit more water every 20-30 minutes or so until the sauce is done. The water will reduce, further concentrating the flavor of the sauce. You’re essentially using this liquid just to keep the veggies and meat submerged in sauce, otherwise with this long cooking time things could dry up a bit. 

When the sauce is done it is deep red and very flavorful. Two hours is the minimum cook time, but you could cook it up to 4 if you had the time; just make sure to splash in enough water to cover the meat and veg every now and then, so things stay saucy. 

In the last 15 minutes of cook time: bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Remove the sauce from heat and use tongs to pluck out all four bay leaves. Drain the pasta and toss it together with the sauce using kitchen tongs. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese on top. 

This makes a LOT of sauce – about 6 cups. If your family is on the smaller side, divide the sauce in half and freeze half for a later date (your future self will thank you). Then, make as much pasta as you need for your crew and use the remaining sauce. 

BEVERAGE PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

The rich, savory flavors of this slow cooked sauce work perfectly with a few of our favorite Italian red wines. We find a Bolognese sauce pairs best with a wine that has decent acidity, low tannin and a relatively fresh flavor profile. A classic match is Chianti or Chianti Classico. The Castellare Chianti Classico shows bright ruby colored in the glass and opens with aromas of tart cherries and flowers. On the palate, it’s lively, with tart red fruit flavors, rounded out by hints of warm spice and tobacco. We also love that this wine is organically farmed and comes in a perfect 375 ml half bottle in both stores. It’s just the right amount to use in the recipe and still have leftovers to drink with the finished dish. 

Another Italian red that would taste terrific with this is the GD Vajra Langhe Rosso. A Northern Italian blend of mostly Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto, this wine shows purple-red in the glass, with intoxicating aromas of ripe red berries and violets. On the palate this wine is a bit plusher than Chianti, with flavors of juicy red berries, cherries and hints of leather and roses. A total crowd pleaser, we are quite dedicated to this wine. It’s our “house red” in the winter because it goes with just about anything, especially pasta with red sauce or pizza.