Two days later, a couple of hernias sent me to the hospital. So much for Bolognese sauce.
So, five weeks later, I finally tackled it with great success. When done traditionally, it is a convention of flavors you cannot imagine. So, follow along.
Buy one of those 8 oz packages of diced pancetta. Heat up some EVO in a Dutch oven saute the pancetta for about five minutes. You need the fat you are rendering.
Next, some mirapoix. What is that, you ask? It is the holy trinity of cooking up a sauce base. Carrots, onion, and celery. Chop two carrots, an onion, and two celery ribs. Or, thanks to Bristol Farms, you can buy it ready made.
Add a little more EVO and saute the mirapoix with the pancetta. Now, for the meat. After all, this is a meat sauce. The cooks I follow suggest a pound and a half of a mix of beef and pork. For maximum flavor, I used a pound of ground Italian sweet sausage and 1/2 pound ground beef.
Into the Dutch oven it all goes and, for about 15 to twenty minutes, you brown the meat and get the veggies translucent. Keep stirring it.
When the whole mixture is a brownish gray color, mince four or five garlic cloves and add that. Take this opportunity in the process to salt and pepper it all.
Mix in a tablespoon of tomato paste. Then deglaze the pan with a cup of red wine. Make sure to use a wooden spoon to scrape up the stuff stuck to the bottom. That's flavor, gang.
Now add a cup of beef broth. Or mix one tablespoon of Better Than Boullion with a cup of water.
There's more.
Now add two 28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes. Use a brand like Cento that is made in Italy.
Salt and pepper again.
Most chefs add a piece of Parmesan Reggiano cheese rind. This is another key for flavor. You can buy these at most super markets. Drop it in. Over the long cooking time, it will melt.
And here's another trick up the sleeve. Stir in a cup of whole milk. Apparently, that's the way it's done in Italy. Who will argue?
Drop in two bay leaves and the prep is done.
Now, for cooking, there are two schools of thought. One is to stash it away in the oven for three to four hours. The longer the better. But you can also let it simmer on low for four to five hours on the stove with the cover slightly ajar.
But the real secret is what these chefs will recommend next. Don't serve it the same day. When you are done cooking, put it in the fridge and let it mull overnight. Somehow and some way, it tastes even better this way. One of those cooking magic acts.
Now traditionalists will tell you to use this sauce with a wide pasta noodle like pappardelle or fettucine. I did that and it was fine, although a bit clumsy to eat. Frankly, I think this would work with most pastas, except for spaghetti, linguine, or angel hair.
Regardless, this is one meal you will never ever regret making.
