Ragù alla Bolognese (Bolognese Sauce)

My friend, Peter, asked if I could post a good Bolognese sauce and this one is much better than good; it’s excellent. For those that are not familiar, Bolognese sauce is a thick, full-bodied meat-based pasta sauce, originating from Bologna, Italy. After years of research, the Italian Academy of Cuisine and the Associated Brotherhood of the Tortellino filed an official recipe for “authentic” Ragù Bolognese which contains beef, pancetta, onions, carrots, celery, tomato paste, meat broth, white wine, and milk . Among the particularities of classic Ragù Bolognese, the most important one is the cut of beef used. Thin flank – a cut rich in both fat and flavor is traditionally used, however most today prefer a to use leaner cuts in their Ragù. Also, the traditional use of pancetta is now sometimes replaced with extra virgin olive oil instead of the fat from the pancetta. In addition, the small amount of milk in the “authentic” recipe is not widely used by everybody today. Instead, tomato has been used more often in comparison to the original recipe, yet Bolognese Ragù is really not considered a tomato-based sauce. So, I’ve made some changes to update to a more modern recipe, but I assure you, this will not disappoint.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 slices bacon, cut up into small pieces
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 carrots, shredded
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 (28 oz) can Italian plum tomatoes
• 6 oz tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 tsp fresh basil
• 2 tsp fresh oregano
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large skillet, warm oil over medium-high heat and cook bacon until it is browned & crisp.
2. Remove bacon from pan and set aside.
3. In the same skillet, using the bacon fat, fry the onions, celery and shredded carrot.
4. When those become soft, add the beef, pork and garlic.
5. Once brown drain off excess fat and add remaining ingredients.
6. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.