(Side note, every time I hear the word (bow-luh-nayz) I think of this moment from Harry Potter 4: And more quietly, but still in a stage whisper audible for several rows I’m sure, is Edison’s weekly insistence that HE’S STILL THIRSTY after the sacrament water comes and goes. (This isn’t quite as bad as when my other son (around the same age) managed to flip off the overhead lights for the entire congregation, but pretty close.) I think the kid is turning a corner on his religious journey though. Just last night we were reading the scriptures and out of nowhere Edison pipes up, “Heavenly Father has candy!” With the most delighted look on his face. I don’t know where he got that idea but I’m stickin with it. I have another friend in Utah who walks around in socks in her basement every day, to see if they get wet. There are houses in her neighborhood flooding, not from the run off…water is coming up through their foundations. Can you imagine?? What even! Gah!! So today’s recipe is for you guys who are still stuck in winter weather. (I never rely on the weather to tell me what to cook, I’m a soup-all-summer kind of girl. Don’t hate me.) Also, once you have this Bolognese you will understand why I’m okay making it in April. It kind of transcends the seasons. Ron: “What’s that?” Hermione: “Bouillabaisse.” Ron: “Bless you.” Hermione: “It’s French. I had it on holiday, it’s very nice.” Ron: “I’ll take your word for it.” Ah, Ron and Hermione, one of the greatest love stories of all time. (Or maybe my love affair with bolognese is the greatest love story of all time?? I mean maybe.) And I know, Bouillabaisse is not Bolognese, it’s a French seafood soup, but it kind of sounds like Bolognese and I can never get it out of my head. Also, I will never be posting Bouillabaisse on this blog because: mussels. Gross. I know, I’m like, 12. Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram The only reason I started down this path is because I actually wanted Lasagna. Killer homemade Lasagna (coming soon–Update, it’s live!) must start with a killer homemade sauce, and that means Bolognese. So I got testing. And testing. And testing. And I had so much fun trying out different meat sauces that could make an amazing lasagna that I got sidetracked into making two different stand alone recipes: a 30 minute Easy Spaghetti Sauce, and it’s older, cooler, more complicated brother: Bolognese. I love it SO much more than I thought I would. I cannot stop eating it on top of any kind of pasta available. I’ll even put it on top of a bed of steamed broccoli or Zucchini Noodles. It’s. So. Good. And it definitely needed it’s own post. It’s no longer in my mind just a by-product on the way to lasagna, and definitely not the same as spaghetti sauce. It starts out with vegetables: onions, celery, and carrots. These veggies are an integral part of the sauce; you can taste them and that’s not an apology, there are lovely carrot and celery notes. Then we go and add cream, then white wine, and simmer forever: this is why Bolognese has a depth of flavor that goes way beyond the simple tomatoes + meat flavor of spaghetti sauce. We’re not cutting corners with this Bolognese. It’s going to take a couple hours to put together. The long simmer is the last step that takes the flavor of this sauce to the next level.
What is Bolognese sauce anyway?
True, authentic Ragu alla Bologna from Bologna, Italy, is different than what is served here in the United States. There is a certified process (made official through the Accademia Italiana della Cucina) that tells you which ingredients are allowed in “authentic” Italian Bolognese. And guess what? There is no tomato at all except a bit of tomato paste! It is a true meat sauce, cooked in butter and milk to break down tough cuts of meat (usually veal) and make them tender over time. But Italian immigrants gave Bolognese a life of its own here in America. While the base recipe is similar (with the holy trinity of onion, carrot, and garlic, as well as wine, milk/cream, and meat) the addition of tomatoes as a main ingredient is what turned it into the red (russet :) sauce we know and love today. All those ingredients simmer long and low, giving the flavors a chance to marry and develop into a cohesive and very rich sauce. If you want to know all about why and how Italian cooking changed in America, check out Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American by Ian Macallen. I have been on a HUGE kick making Italian (Italian-American) food lately (first with Easy Spaghetti, next up is Lasagna, then meatballs coming soon!) My sister Laura helps me do deep-dive research on my recipes, and she read this book while learning all about Italian Wedding Soup. We are such nerds about food, ha! It’s so much fun! Let’s get started making it! Onion, celery, carrot. This combination of veggies sauted in olive oil is an umami powerhouse. The beginning of every soup your grandma ever made. Comfort in a pot. Add Italian seasoning and some crushed red pepper for a little flavor and heat. We also need fennel seeds. And because we are not taking any shortcuts today, we are are going to crush them to bring out the flavor. If you have a fancy mortar and pestle, use that. If not, go the scrappy route: Toss in a ziplock baggie and pound it out with a rolling pin. Or hammer. Or whatever tool you have lying around for anger management purposes. You will not believe the flavor of this fennel after it’s been put in its place. Smell it! Divine! Once you’ve got all your spices in there, saute for a little while until the veggies are soft. Then add in your garlic and fresh rosemary, adding a little more oil if there is not enough. Next add in your ground beef and Italian sausage. Beef brings that big bold beefy flavor we love, and Italian sausage brings in extra fat and porkiness (a technical term) plus extra spices because sausage it pre-seasoned (with all the right stuff). Next we are adding in the two ingredients that sets Bolognese apart from your average American spaghetti sauce: white wine and cream. The addition of dairy is what turns bolognese into that beautiful russet orange color instead of the bright red of regular marinara or Spaghetti Sauce. Like this: Once you’ve reached this point of deliciousness (seriously, give it a taste!) we are ready for the actual tomatoes. And now I’m going to interrupt my own recipe tutorial to have a talk about this. The fresh tomatoes we buy at the grocery store are raised with transportation in mind. They need to have thick skins to ship in one piece. Plus they are picked green and then ripened en route to the store. They end up mealy and blah. That’s why any gardener knows that if you can only grow one thing in your garden, tomatoes should be your first choice. (I met my friend Amy’s parents a few months ago (Amy blogs at House of Nash Eats, she’s amazing, follow her!) Amy’s parents are Master Gardeners, and they told me that when they get fast food in the summer, they bring their own tomatoes. They peel off the pink watery excuse that came with their Big Mac or Whopper, and replace it with a fresh slice of their own homegrown tomato. How awesome is this?? I mean, goals, right? They get it) But I digress. No need to wait for home grown tomatoes. Canned tomatoes are great, since canned tomatoes are preserved immediately after being picked (when they are bursting with flavor), and we’re cooking them down anyway. Save your fresh tomatoes for your next drive through 😂 For this recipe, I like to use canned crushed tomatoes where the only ingredient is tomatoes. Cento is the brand I like best, and the only brand I have found where tomato is the only ingredient. Other brands often have citric acid (preservative) and/or calcium chloride (firming agent) added. I like to simmer for at least 60 minutes, but you can go up to 90 or even a couple hours if you like. You want the heat to be pretty low, just a small bubble every now and then. If you plan to cook for a long time over a lazy afternoon, add a bit more beef broth every now and then to keep your sauce consistency from getting too thick. Just before serving, add in some fresh herbs if you have them: parsley and basil. This adds a special punch of flavor and freshness. Serve over pasta with a grating of Parmesan cheese! Or save it to make in Lasagna, the recipe is now live!
Can you freeze Bolognese?
Yes, and it’s SO easy. Let the sauce come to room temperature, add to a ziplock freezer bag of the appropriate size, label and freeze. Bolognese will easily last 4-6 months in the freezer and is such a great make ahead meal option. You could even double the recipe and freeze it in portions and have a few easy dinners in the future! To use after freezing, put the ziplock bag into the refrigerator and let thaw overnight. Once it’s no longer frozen, add to a sauce pan and warm over medium heat.
