My Bolognese Recipe

Bolognese is a classic  go-to that is versatile and convenient. It's fun to make, too. I love chopping the soffrito into tiny tiny little pieces before throwing it all into the pot to cook up. Did I mention that it makes the house smell so yummy! Here it is! Oh, and I rarely even add the mascarpone cheese at the end. I do sometimes add it to pasta I've cooked to the al dente stage and bake it off for 30-45 minutes at 350 with mozzarella on top and sometimes even throughout, depending on how much cheese I have on hand. Top it with freshly grated parmesan and enjoy!!

Bolognese

Ingredients

2 lbs ground meat

2-3 carrots, minced

2-3 celery stalks, minced

1 med onion, minced

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp fennel seed (if not using Italian sausage)

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 TBSP balsamic vinegar

1 cup red wine

1 cup beef stock

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup mascarpone or cream cheese

Method

In a bit of olive oil on med-high heat, saute the onions until they begin to they begin to turn clear. Add the carrots, garlic and celery and saute until vegetables are softened. Add the meat slowly, breaking it into small pieces with a potato masher. Cook until browned. Add tomato paste and cook one minute. Add the remaining ingredients except cheese. Reduce heat to low and cook the sauce for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese until melted. Serve with fresh parsley garnish and grated parmesan.

Notes

This is great with polenta, pasta, lasagna, and probably anything else you can think of. I often freeze leftover sauce for later. Its really good with pork & venison, but you can use practically any ground meat you have. Buon Appetito!