Sugo Alla Bolognese - Bolognan Meat Sauce - Recipes

Sugo Alla Bolognese - Bolognan Meat Sauce

Ingredients

6 to 8 ounces ground beef, it shouldn't be too lean, or the sugo will be dry
2 ounces pancetta, minced (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
quarter of a medium-sized onion, minced
half a carrot, minced
six inch stalk of celery, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup crushed tomatoes or 2 tablespoons tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup water
Beef broth (If you don't have any, dissolve half a bullion cube in a cup of boiling water)
pinch of salt
Pepper
1 pound of pasta.
Grated Parmigiano

Directions

If you omit the pancetta, you will want the full 8 ounces of meat.

This sauce invites improvisation. For example, you may wish to add a few chopped dried porcini (soak them in boiling water first, and strain and add the liquid as well), or a minced chicken liver to the sauce while it's simmering. Some cooks use the meat from a link sausage instead of pancetta, whereas others omit the pork entirely, using more beef. If you use more pork the sauce will taste sweeter. Artusi suggests that you maywant to stir half a cup of whipping cream into it just before you pour it over the pasta.

In any case, assuming you are using the pancetta, mince it and the vegetables, and sauté them in a casserole or Dutch oven with the oil. When the onion's translucent, add the ground meat and continue cooking till it's browned. Stir in the wine and let the sauce simmer till the wine's evaporated, then add the tomatoes, a ladle of broth, and check the seasoning.

Continue simmering over a very low flame for about two hours, stirring occasionally, and adding more broth if the sugo looks like it's drying out. The sugo will improve steadily as it cooks, and if you have the time simmer it longer - Artusi suggests it be simmered for six hours, adding boiling water or broth as necessary. When it is done it should be rich and thick.

This will serve about six as the topping for a first course of pasta or gnocchi, or about four if served over pasta with a tossed salad on the side; in either case serve it with grated Parmigiano. In terms of a wine I'd suggest a relatively light red such as a Chianti Colli Fiorentini.

This recipe expands well, and if you double or triple it, using some and freezing the rest, you will have taken care of several meals.