HOW TO MAKE BOLOGNESE SAUCE

How to Make Bolognese Sauce image

This Bolognese sauce is dedicated to the late great Marcella Hazan. She was considered the Julia Child of Italian food, and at a time when most Americans thought 'Bolognese' was spaghetti sauce with chunks of hamburger, Marcella taught us just how magnificent this meat sauce could be. I like to toss it with some mezzi rigatoni and serve it with a little grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of parsley.

Provided by Chef John

Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes Sauce Recipes Pasta Sauce Recipes Meat Sauce

Time 3h35m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
½ cup finely diced celery
½ cup finely diced carrot
1 pinch salt
1 ½ pounds ground beef
salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 ½ cups 2% milk
2 cups white wine
1 (28 ounce) can whole Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
2 cups water, or as needed

Steps:

Melt butter with olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; cook onion, celery, and carrot with pinch of salt until onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir ground beef into vegetables and cook, stirring constantly until meat is crumbly and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Season meat mixture with 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg.
Pour milk into ground beef mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until most of the milk has evaporated and bottom of pan is still slightly saucy, about 5 minutes.
Raise heat to medium high and pour white wine into ground beef mixture; cook and stir until white wine has mostly evaporated, about 5 more minutes.
Pour tomatoes with juice into a large mixing bowl and crush them with your fingers until they resemble a slightly chunky sauce. Pour tomatoes into sauce; fill can with 2 cups water and add to sauce. Bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until mixture cooks down into a thick sauce, at least 3 hours but preferably 4 to 6 hours. Skim fat from top of sauce if desired. If sauce is too thick or too hot on the bottom, add a little more water. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 393.6 calories, Carbohydrate 14.2 g, Cholesterol 84 mg, Fat 20.9 g, Fiber 2.3 g, Protein 22.6 g, SaturatedFat 8.8 g, Sodium 935.1 mg, Sugar 8.6 g