Bolognese Sauce

I love a good bowl of pasta. There is something so warm, comforting and satisfying about pasta.  Plus I love all the different ways it can be prepared, so I never get sick of it.

I've had my eye on Ina Garten's recipe for Weeknight Bolognese for quite a while now, and when I finally got around to making it, I couldn't believe I waited so long to make it-it was so good! Between the wine, the fresh basil and the cream, this pasta dish was something entirely different than anything I've made before. One of Matt's friends has told his wife that this is his favorite sauce recipe that she makes and I can see why-it truly is a delicious twist on regular pasta sauce. 

I was especially excited because this recipe made a lot of sauce-enough for Matt and I to each have a large portion for dinner, another each for lunch and then I froze at least another 4 servings-so we get to have this again!  And even though this tastes like something that was simmering all day, it was quick and easy to prepare!

 Bolognese Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1¼ cups dry red wine, divided
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
 Kosher salt, to taste
1½ teaspoons ground black pepper
1 pound dried pasta, such as shells
Pinch of ground nutmeg
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the ground meat into the pan and cook until no longer pink and starting to brown, 5-7 minutes, breaking up the meat.  Stir in the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add 1 cup of the wine to the pan and stir, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, finish the sauce.  Stir in the nutmeg, basil, cream, and remaining ¼ cup wine.  Simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.  When the pasta is cooked and drained, toss with the warm sauce and grated Parmesan until well coated.  Serve with additional Parmesan if desired.


Source: Barefoot Contessa, How Easy is That?