Recipe: Penne with Bolognese Sauce

We have a Friday night tradition in our house of cooking a meal together that we then enjoy kid-free while catching up on our DVR. For these Friday dinners, we often try to perfect our own version of favorite foods and unlike most of our weeknight cooking, we don't cut corners or try to be particularly health-conscious--these meals are a celebration of making it through the week.

On a rainy Friday a few weeks back, I decided to attempt Ragu Bolognese, the famous meat sauce from Bologna, which could arguably be considered the foodie capital of one of the world's foodiest countries. It's not difficult, and somehow simmering aromatics, whole milk, tomatoes, and plenty of meat on the stove for a few hours creates something that's way more than the sum of its parts.

Being married to an Italian-food-obsessed wife for almost ten years, my husband has eaten a lot of pasta. So when he took a bite of this penne and proclaimed it the second best pasta he's ever eaten (because nothing can compare to the bucatini all'amatriciana we had in Italy), I knew I had a winner. Give this sauce a try the next time you have a dinner party--or just want a special meal for two. If you're looking for sides, go with an arugula or kale salad with a lemony dressing and a little shaved parmesan--something bright and slightly acidic to balance the richness of the pasta.

A few tips:

• Try to chop your veggies as uniformly as possible into small pieces. It's worth the extra effort.
• This recipe is made for a special occasion, so don't try to make it "light" or cut calories. Use whole milk. Don't buy 99% lean ground beef. It's good to live a little, right?
• The quality of canned tomatoes will make or break a recipe. I always use San Marzano brand (bonus: the packaging is beautiful). They're expensive, but they really make a difference.
• Bolognese is traditionally served with fettuccine or pappardelle (long noodles), but I like how shorter, ridged pasta captures all the sauce. Feel free to substitute, but whatever pasta shape you use, don't overcook it. You toss the pasta with the sauce and it will cook a little more.
• If you go to this much effort, top your pasta with good cheese. Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano is the gold standard.

Penne with Bolognese
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes
1 pound short pasta, like penne
Grated parmesan

Directions
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot or pan with high sides over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until softened. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the pork and beef, breaking up with a spoon and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Add the milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk is almost completely absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and chicken stock and cook for another ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

Crush the tomatoes with your hands until broken into small pieces. Add to the meat, stirring well to incorporate. Reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Check for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper.

When the sauce is almost ready, cook the pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Drain and add to the pan with the sauce, stirring well. Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 big servings.

Get the printable recipe.