Bolognese Sauce (Marcella Hazan’s)
Description
Below is the recipe for a triple batch and I used my 12-quart pot. If you’re going to take an afternoon to simmer a sauce then make a big batch and freeze some for an easy meal or 2 later on. NYT Cooking put this together so we could all benefit – enjoy!
Ingredients
a big splash of vegetable oil AND 1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. finely diced onion – this about 3 medium onions
3 c. EACH finely diced celery AND carrot
2 lbs. lean ground beef AND 1 lb. ground pork
1 T. kosher salt AND lots of freshly ground pepper (I used about 2 teaspoons)
3 c. milk
scant 1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1 bottle (750 mL) dry white wine – (I used a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc)
1 can (796 mL) Italian plum tomatoes AND 1 bottle (660 mL) passata
pasta – we like things saucy so I make 1 to 1 1/2 lbs of pasta for half of this bolognese recipe
toppings – lots of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (and more freshly ground pepper if you’d like)
Instructions
Add the oil and butter to a large pot over medium heat and when the butter has melted, carefully add in all of the onion and cook and stir for a few minutes until the onion has softened. Stir in the celery and carrot making sure all of the vegetables are well coated and cook for another couple of minutes.
Break up and add in all of the meat, salt and pepper and work the mix for several minutes until all is well combined, the beef and pork are in crumbles and there is maybe only a hint of pink left in either. Pour in the milk and mind the pot while stirring for probably 20 minutes or so until the milk has bubbled away completely, then sprinkle in the nutmeg and stir again.
Pour in all of the wine and bring the pot back to a simmer, leaving it to bubble, stirring occasionally for 20 to 30 minutes until the wine has evaporated, then pour/scrape in the tomatoes and passata. Bring this new (and last) mix back to a simmer, turn the burner to it’s lowest possible setting and allow the sauce to cook, uncovered, for 3 hours (or more), remembering to stir it once in a while. If the sauce gets too dry and begins to stick at any point, add in a half cup of water and keep the very light simmer going. When it’s at the end of the 3 hours, there should be no water left, and the fat will appear separated from the meat/sauce. Give everything a good stir and taste for seasonings, but remember that the grated cheese (and pasta water) are also salty.
Time the pasta to cook to al dente (in generously salted water) as the sauce is finishing and then toss as much sauce as you’d like with as much pasta as you’re making – you can do this to serve in a large bowl or platter family-style or make up individual plates as you go. Grate on a good measure of Parmigiano-Reggiano and dive into your amazing meal!
