Bolognese Sauce
Every year I am taken back by how quickly the season changes from summer to fall. This year felt particularly exaggerated because it was 85 degrees and sunny last Saturday, and I was swimming. Yesterday my daughter insisted that I dig through the bins of off-season items to find her mittens for school. Where is the in-between? The light jacket in the evening gradual change that allows my body to adjust?
I usually love Fall- with back-to-school shopping, football Sundays and roasts in the oven. Like so many things that has been changed by 2020, Fall comes with trepidation and concern. We cannot sit outside and properly distance while visiting friends. Every day the term “second wave” is thrown around; a dark omen.
I cannot change the weather. I cannot predict what the rest of this year has in store. But I can chop onions and garlic, feed my family, and nourish my soul.
This is the perfect, simmer all day on a Sunday- type of dish. If you are in a rush (don’t make this), you can increase the heat to medium and cook it for only 2-3 hours. You will need to stir frequently to prevent the sauce from burning. However, the sauce is best with a long and slow, relatively hands-off approach. Babysit it on the stove while you putz in the kitchen and watch football.
Bolognese Sauce
From Fabio Viviano, Fabio’s Italian Kitchen
Makes 2-3 quarts, Serves 6-8
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups celery, diced
2 cups carrots, diced
2 cups onion, diced
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig sage
5 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup white wine
2 lbs ground beef, preferably medium
2 cups red wine
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup tomato paste
salt and pepper
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When it has heated up, add the celery, carrots, onion, rosemary, and sage and cook until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for 2-3 minutes more, then deglaze the pan with white wine and reduce until the pan is almost dry.
Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small pieces, until no traces of pink remain. Add the red wine and reduce until it has almost disappeared. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally until the sauce is thick and rich. Ideally, it should simmer for 6-8 hours for maximum flavour.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve over pasta.