I'm very wary when it comes to Italian food recipes. You know...one of those people who only wants to eat "authentic" Italian and gags at the mere thought of The Olive Garden. How such a place can exist and why anyone would set foot in it, I have no idea. Who cares about their salads and breadsticks!? There's better bread at Kruse and Muer and it's not fake Italian!
Anyway, I digress. I can be a bit of an Italian snob or at least a picky Italian eater. What it comes down to is that I don't truly, actually care if you're making or eating "authentic" Italian food. I don't eat all "authentic" Italian food! Take me to a bakery and I'm going to buy as many biancomangiare-filled cannolis as I can stand and not a single sweetened ricotta one, which any knowledgeable Italian can tell you is what's "authentic" and just about the only thing you'll find in Italy. Italian-Americans are the ones who "bastardized" cannolis with biancomangiare, an amazing, sweet, cinnamon-laced pudding. Why? Probably because Americans didn't want to eat sugary cheese for dessert. Yet, in my opinion, the Italian-American version is superior in texture and flavor.
The problem with "authenticity" is that it has no concept of what actually works best or how varying taste buds are from person to person. Just because something is the "original" or the "tradition" in the place in which it originated doesn't mean it's in any way superior. Yes, I put down Olive Garden for being "inauthentic," but it's really because I just think the food is gross. My assertion about authenticity is a front so I can ignore anyone who tries to claim it tastes good ;) SHH, don't tell my friends!!
What is my point in telling you all this? As I said, I'm very picky about Italian food...and while I don't necessarily care about "authenticity," I am very interested in it. I want to know what is "authentic" and "original" so that I can try it and see what it's like before going after all the variations out there. So, when it comes to Italian food, I go straight to the source I trust most, Anne Burrell. Trained in Italian cuisine, I haven't found anyone whose food has been touted as more authentic than hers...or tastier! So, she's my go-to Italian food source, which is why I went straight to her when I wanted to finally try my hand at Bolognese...the coveted meat sauce of Bologna.
And holy crap, have I ever tasted a sauce better than this? Addictive is a term that puts it lightly! I think my husband would have this for every meal and in between, if there were enough! However...Anne's recipe is a bit rich for my tastes. So, I altered it. *GASP*
From what I've read, an "authentic" and "original" Bolognese has no herbs and very little tomato, relying heavily on the meat and wine for flavor...hence the richness! While delicious, I found myself having difficulties cleaning my plate. Each bite was harder than the last and that made me sad! I wanted to devour the bowl of pasta, not slowly meander through it. Of course, Billy had no issues, but here is where we note the differences in taste! His tongue was made for richness, mine was not...so I added more tomato to bring in a bit of that acidity I love so much :) If you're interested in Anne's original, wonderfully rich recipe, though, you can find it here: Pasta Bolognese. I have no doubt you'll be addicted to that, as well!
Before I go on with my take, though, it should be noted that this is an invasive recipe. I'm not sure of a better word to describe it. You'll want to make it on a day off from work, preferably when your energy is at its peak and you either have at least a few hours before dinner or don't plan to eat it until the following day. Like a good marinara, Bolognese has to cook for about three hours or so. In addition to that, though...multiple elements need to be browned. First, there's the mirepoix (a cooking foundation that includes multiple pureed vegetables. Bet you didn't know meat sauce had carrots and celery, did you?). Then the meat. Then the tomato paste. THEN you can add the liquid and sit back and wait...while getting up every 15 minutes or so for a stir to ensure the sauce doesn't burn as all your hard work and sweat goes to waste ;)
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| Steam from the mirepoix as I brown it. See how light it looks? By the end, it is a toasty, toasty brown. Smells like toast too! It's simply a step you cannot miss. But do yourself a favor...turn on the fan ;) |
Bolognese (makes about 4 quarts) as adapted from Anne Burrell
- 1 large onion (or 2 small), cut into a 1-inch dice
- 2 large carrots, cut into a 1/2-inch dice
- 3 ribs of celery, cut into a 1-inch dice
- 4 cloves garlic
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan
- coarse kosher salt (lots of it--you'll never see a specific amount, it's all to taste. Just season and taste every step of the way until it's to your liking. But remember, you can add, but you can't remove!)
- 3 pounds ground round (or chuck or brisket or a combination!)
- 2 cups tomato paste
- 3 cups hearty red wine (my favorite outcome has been with Fetzer Merlot, but so many others are great and completely alter the flavor, so use your favorite as a guarantee to satisfy!)
- one 28-oz can San Marzano Tomatoes, pureed (or your preferred canned tomato sauce)
- water
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle
- prepared pasta (we use Pappardelle or Tagliatelle. Whatever you do, choose something thick or wide that will hold the sauce well. Please don't drown thin spaghetti in such a thick sauce! You wouldn't make lasagna with angel hair, would you?)
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a food processor, puree onions, carrots, celery, and garlic until they form a coarse paste. Coat a large pan with the oil and place over medium heat (I use a large dutch oven--several quarts!). Add the veggies and season, generously, with salt. Bring the pan to medium-high heat and cook until all the liquid has evaporated and the puree has become nicely browned, about 15-20 minutes--stir frequently to prevent burning. I know this feels like forever, but massive flavor is developing that you don't want to miss. The scent of the browned veggies will say it all.
Add the beef and, again, season generously with salt. Brown for another 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. You should see dark brown bits accumulating all over the bottom of the pan and as long as nothing smells burnt, you're doing everything right. Those dark bits are the source of the deep flavor--think of how toast tastes in comparison to bread or how caramelized carrots taste in comparison to boiled. Worlds of difference.
Add the tomato paste and brown for 4-5 minutes. Add the red wine and cook until it's reduced by half, about another 4-5 minutes.
Add the tomato puree/sauce and enough water so that the liquid rises to about an inch above the beef (you may or may not need to add any water, at this point). Toss in the bay leaves and thyme, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. I like to scrape the bottom of the pot every 15 minutes to be really safe--for me, it's better to get up often to stir than to allow such an effort to burn.
The sauce should cook for 3.5 to 4 hours. As it does, the water will gradually evaporate, at which point you'll add 2-3 cups more. Anne doesn't elaborate about how many times you should add water, so I try to do so about each hour. The point is that the liquid is allowing the meat to braise, but if you add too much all at once, it will boil instead, resulting in blander flavors. So, we add water, allow it to evaporate, and then add it back and repeat until the sauce is finished, about 4 hours later. You'll also want to taste the sauce every step of the way--either each time you get up to stir or at least once an hour, taste the sauce to see if it needs more salt. If it seems like there isn't enough flavor, you're lacking in salt, not in herbs or anything else. Add another scoop and see where that gets you.
If you plan to eat this the same day it's made, prepare a pot of pasta just before dinner time. As stated in the ingredients, I highly recommend something wide or thick rather than something small or thin. Because the sauce is so rich and thick, you want a noodle that will stand up to it, which is why you should go for something like pappardelle or tagliatelle. At the thinnest, I'd go for linguine, but even that's not quite wide enough. Outside of long noodles, try something like rigatoni that is fat and has ridges for grabbing sauce. If you can find it, though...pappardelle is the way to go. Amazing!
When ready to serve, top your pasta with Bolognese (you want an even ratio of pasta to sauce) and add some of the pasta water to mix--this starchy water will help the sauce stick to the noodles and, especially if pulled out of your freezer (in which case some of the liquid is lost), will thin it at the same time without making the sauce watery. If serving a crowd (6-8 people), Anne Burrell's directions are to prepare a pound of pasta that's tossed with half the Bolognese and 1/2 a cup of pasta water, shortly cooking the mixture until the water has reduced. Then, give a big sprinkle of Parmesan and even drizzle with some olive oil to finish it off. Give it one last toss and serve :)
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| Before the first evaporation, this pot was filled within half an inch of the brim! Like I said...grab yourself a big pot. And try not to eat it all within that four hours because, I promise, you'll have a hard time stopping yourself from tasting and tasting, and tasting...and tasting :) |
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