Pasta Bolognese
There are a few things in my cooking and baking repertoire that make me feel like I kick some serious bootie in the kitchen. Among them are this roast pork. And this salmon. And this galette. And this coffee cake. And this pudding.
The latest addition to my greatest hits list is this bolognese sauce.
I’m a comfort food loving kinda girl and let me tell you, it doesn’t get more comforting that a bowl of this pasta bolognese. The recipe is courtesy of Food Network’s Anne Burrell of Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. I’m growing out of love with the decreasing number of cooking shows on the network (and I don’t get Cooking Channel). But it’s personalities like Anne that keep me coming back. She is the real deal when it comes to food and the proof is in this recipe.
But before I get into how to put this sauce together – NOTE – this is not something you can just throw together and have on the dinner table in a half hour. It’s by no means difficult but it IS a delicious 3-4 hour labor of love. And I have made it enough times over the last year so know that it is worth every second of work. So do yourself a favor – read this post carefully and buy the ingredients to make this this weekend. I promise you won’t regret it. You can even prepare by watching a video of Anne making the sauce here. If for nothing else, you’ll get a kick out of Anne’s growling, grunting and other sound effects. (LOVE HER!)
The recipe starts with a vegetable paste made of celery, onion, carrot and garlic that you season with salt and brown in some olive oil in a big pot. Brown until the bottom of the pot gets a brown “crud” as Anne calls it, which you scrape along the way. Then add your meat, I use ground chuck, and brown the meat. Then add tomato paste and you guessed it, brown some more. The key is to develop flavors during the browning process and every time you add new ingredients to the mix. After the tomato paste, in goes the wine – which gets reduced by half to intensify the flavors. Then finally add water, thyme and bay leaves and over 3 hours or so, stir, reduce and add more water. With the addition of every new ingredient, Anne adds quite a bit of salt as well. I tend to add significantly less as I don’t like my food super salty.
Having made this sauce several times and enjoyed it over several kinds of pasta, I can say the BEST way to enjoy it is with orecchiette, as this little ear shaped pasta has little ridges that help the sauce adhere to it. It also has little pockets where bits of sauce hide for extra satisfaction.
Topped with fresh cracked black pepper and grated parmigiano reggiano along side some crusty bread, it really doesn’t get more comforting than this. Make the entire batch of sauce (it freezes beautifully) and enjoy the comfort again and again and again.
Pasta Bolognese
Ingredients:
1 large onion or 2 small, cut into 1-inch dice
2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 ribs celery, 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
2 cups tomato paste
3 cups hearty red wine
Water
3 bay leaves
1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle
1 pound orecchiette
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Freshly cracked black pepperDirections:
In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste. In a large pan over medium heat, coat pan with extra virgin olive oil. Add the vegetable paste and season with salt. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and the paste has browned, stirring frequently, about 15-20 minutes. While stiring, scrape the bottom of the pan to release the brown bits.
Add the ground beef, season again with salt and brownt he beef about abother 15-20 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and cook until brown about 4-5 minutes. Add the red wine. Continue to cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4-5 minutes.
Add water to the pan until the water 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 2-3 cups at a time always reducing before adding more water. Stir and taste every 20-30 minutes over 3.5-4 hours adding salt if needed.
During the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the pasta. When the water is at a rolling boil properly salt (water should be salty) and add the orecchiette 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 Reggiano. Toss or stir vigorously. Divide the pasta and sauce into serving bowls or 1 big pasta bowl. Top with remaining grated Parmigiano Reggiano and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.
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Kathy - Panini Happy — November 10, 2011 @ 10:51 am
This looks wonderful, Eliana! Orecchiette has to be my favorite pasta shape – cradles hearty sauces like this so well.
Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic — November 10, 2011 @ 11:06 am
I’m definitely a pasta girl and I love bolognese but I have to admit I haven’t tried making it myself yet! Your post has inspired me
Living The Sweet Life — November 10, 2011 @ 11:13 am
YUM!! Looks like it’s completely worth every minute spent to prepare. There’s really very little that’s more comforting than a big bowl of pasta topped with fresh cheese
Barney A Bishop — November 10, 2011 @ 11:24 am
One of the many beautiful things about being married to this Chica is watching her flourish as a cook. This Bolognese is one of my favorite dishes she cooks. It’s rich and full of flavor. The time spent making it is definitely worth it.
Rosa — November 10, 2011 @ 11:38 am
Scrumptious! I cannot resist any naughty pasta dish and this one is making me hungry!
Cheers,
Rosa
Amy — November 10, 2011 @ 11:50 am
Oh goodness, yes – bolognese sauce is the bomb. And I totally agree about the time being worth it. I tried to do it on the fly…ONCE…and never rushed through it again. Now I want some!
A Plum By Any Other Name — November 10, 2011 @ 2:00 pm
I’m very excited you posted this recipe. I also get a kick out of Anne and think she has some street cred in the kitchen (the grunting helps). Also, I love that you posted links to some of your other go-to recipes. I must say, the pancake recipe you posted (about a year ago now?) has become a breakfast regular. It makes me feel like superwoman. Though, this is usually quickly counteracted by the number of pancakes I then proceed to eat.
jennifurla — November 10, 2011 @ 4:24 pm
I am so impressed, this is my favorite blog post of the day. I just love it, comfort food all the way.
Becki's Whole Life — November 10, 2011 @ 5:07 pm
Oh man, I love Anne’s show, too. I actually just had Bolognese at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant at Disney and I have had it on my list of things to make ever since – it was wonderful. I am going to bookmark this and make it the next Sunday I can. This is pure comfort food…so hungry now:-)
CookiePie — November 11, 2011 @ 9:25 am
Oh yum yum yum – that photo is making me want pasta, and it’s 9:24 a.m.!
Spike — November 11, 2011 @ 7:13 pm
I’m not sure I’ve ever really made a bolognese! This one looks great
Kerstin — November 12, 2011 @ 11:31 am
Sounds like comfort food at it’s finest – yum!!
Monique — November 14, 2011 @ 9:51 am
This is indeed a beautiful dish. My grandmother to this day, still makes a long simmered sauce and it is always the best I have ever tasted. She uses the scrap meats like lamb neck to make her sauce. The fat from the lamb creates a beautiful silky texture in the sauce. And all she puts in her sauce are tomatoes, onions, garlic, sweet basil, salt and lamb neck (maybe some sweet sausage too).,
Teanna — November 15, 2011 @ 11:59 am
Bolognese is my fiance`s favorite dish and I LOVE that you used orecchiete! I need to try this!
Jackie — November 15, 2011 @ 2:16 pm
I tweeted abt your recipe last week but did not yet have a chance to comment.
Bolognese is a beautiful dish. A staple in my home. Delicious. Think I’ll make this next week.
Baking is my Zen — November 16, 2011 @ 3:12 pm
This dish looks wonderful! Anything with pasta…I’m in! ~Carmen
Velva — November 17, 2011 @ 1:58 pm
Dishes like this one are perfect for Sunday Supper- A meal of comfort and soul. I can already see a big platter passing around the table. This is a beautiful meal.
Always,
Velva
The Duo Dishes — November 18, 2011 @ 11:27 pm
The key to a great pasta dish is surely sauce, but it’s most definitely in the choice of pasta. A pasta that demands the sauce stick to it. This is one of those dishes that combines a great sauce with the perfect pasta.
Rachel — November 21, 2011 @ 1:32 pm
This is post is why I love to read your blog. You never fail to make me drool nor create a delicious recipe. Thank you!
Magic of Spice — November 22, 2011 @ 3:43 pm
Gorgeous classic pasta dish…comfort food all the way
Sara @ Saucy Dipper — November 25, 2011 @ 11:29 am
Bolognese is definitely one to keep in the rotation. I made Ina Garten’s recipe not too long ago, and it’s now one of my favorites. I respect a pasta dish that doesn’t call for spaghetti
Aggie — November 29, 2011 @ 9:44 pm
You know, I’ve seen Chef Anne’s show only a couple of times and a while ago…I’m intrigued to watch again. I don’t watch as many cooking shows as I used to, would love something new & refreshing to watch.
As for this pasta, man does it look good. I don’t eat much meat anymore, but I would not hesitate to down a bowl of this. I’ve always loved bolognese, I can only imagine how delicious this is!
Cecilia — December 1, 2011 @ 10:20 am
Love Anne Burrel, and this dish looks delicious!
Bren — December 6, 2011 @ 9:14 pm
girl, this looks like the ultimate comfort food… if only i enjoyed cooking for myself!
Emme @Food Samba — December 10, 2011 @ 7:39 pm
Yum, I’m all over this sauce! I could use this right now with this cold Seattle weather.
Paris Pastry — December 22, 2011 @ 6:05 am
The ultimate comfort food! So I’m more than happy to spend a few extra hours on it
It looks drool-worthy! Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!
♥ Daniëlle