Gilly’s Beautiful Bodacious Bolognese
Bolognese originated in Bologna, northern Italy, in the late 1800s. Savory and comforting, the traditional Bolognese ragu is rich and slow-cooked. It follows specific traditions that include a soffritto base, a mixture of pork and veal, pancetta, dry white wine, and milk. It was traditionally served with tagliatelle, not spaghetti.
I started this recipe by exploring the original 1800s version and looking into different variations from some of my favorite chefs. Then, I put my own spin on it, customizing the ingredients to suit my taste. The result is a flavor that’s both timeless and delicious. This Bolognese recipe uses ground beef instead of pork and veal, and skips pancetta, white wine, and milk. However, if you prefer these traditional ingredients, as I sometimes do, they are also included in this recipe along with instructions.
The story goes that when Napoleon’s soldiers invaded Italy in 1796, they brought their culinary traditions with them, including ragoût. Italian chefs began adapting these French techniques, creating their own versions of meat-based sauces that eventually evolved into what we now know as Bolognese.
Gilly’s Beautiful Bodacious Bolognese
Equipment
- 1 Large Dutch wven with lid
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Food Processor optional
- 1 Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp good olive oil or 1/2 tbsp butter and 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1 lb ground beef or 1/2 veal and 1/2 pork (traditional version)
- 2 28 oz. cans organic fire roasted diced tomatoes Cento from Italy is the best
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 yellow onion chop fine
- 2 cloves fresh garlic chop fine
- 1 tbsp fresh Italian parsley de-stemmed, chopped fine
- 1-2 tsp oregano
- 1-2 tsp basil
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
Traditional Version
- 2 oz pancetta (add with ground meat) or 3 strips thin bacon (1 slice if thick)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (add after browning meat) to deglaze the pan
- 1 cup milk (add with tomato sauce)
Pasta
- 1 lb spaghetti or tagliatelle (tagliatelle, traditional version)
Instructions
- Let the meat rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
- Finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery (or use a food processor). Note: carrot, onion, and celery is the soffritto.
- On medium heat, add butter and/or olive oil and soffritto; cook for about 10 minutes, until the onions soften and the flavors release.
- Season the meat with salt and pepper. Set the soffritto aside, then add the meat, garlic, red pepper flakes, and spices; cook until browned. Stir frequently.
- *(traditional version) Add pancetta or bacon here with ground beef.
- Cook 2-3 more minutes to blend flavors, then taste before adding sauce.
- *(traditional version) Add white wine here to deglaze the pan.
- Add cans of tomatoes, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally.
- *(traditional version) Add milk here with the tomato sauce.
- During the last 30 minutes, check your seasoning and add the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Pasta
- During the final 15 minutes, start boiling your pasta water so the pasta and sauce will be ready around the same time.
Serving
- Garnish with extra fresh parsley and grated Parmesan.
