Rigatoni alla Bolognese
This is the go-to recipe I make for an easy Sunday dinner or the base for my lasagna. It requires hours of simmering, but once you sauté everything, you are done. I usually triple the recipe when I make it. Then I divide the sauce into quart containers and store them in the freezer. One quart is good for a pound of pasta.
Bolognese Sauce
PREP 25 minutes
COOK 3 hours
INGREDIENTS
Large yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
Olive oil
1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. ground veal
1 lb. ground beef
3 cups chicken stock
28 oz. crushed tomatoes
Basil
Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large dutch oven heat some olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and cover the pot for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the onions aren’t burning.
Remove the lid and raise the heat a bit. Add the carrots and some salt and pepper. Stir until the onions get a little color.
In stages add the ground meat, breaking up clumps until the meat is no longer pink.
Add the tomato sauce and half the stock.
Bring the sauce to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer the sauce for 1.5 hours. Add the remainder of the stock and continue to cook until the sauce is thick for another 1.5 hours. Taste along the way and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt if necessary.
Serve with some torn basil and lots of parmesan cheese. A dollop of ricotta would be wonderful too.