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–+ servings

Easy Bolognese Sauce

Belinda Masters
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 12 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 ribs celery, finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots, finely diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 pound bacon, medium dice
  • 1.5 pound ground pork
  • 1.5 pound ground beef
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons dried sage leaves
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Instructions
 

  • Heat large stock pot over medium heat.  Add olive oil, celery, carrot and onion.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Do not brown onions.
  • Add garlic and bacon to pot.  Stir to combine with vegetables.  Saute for 5-8 minutes.  
  • Add ground pork and ground beef to pot.  Breaking up meat into small pieces.  Cook for 5-10 minutes until meat is no longer pink.
  • Add chicken stock, wine, tomato paste and sage leaves to pot.  Stir until well combined.
  • Bring mixture to boil.  Reduce heat to a low simmer.  Place lid on pot to only partially cover.  Simmer sauce for at least 2 hours.  Stir occasionally.  Do not let dry out...add a bit more chicken stock if needed or make sure to reduce heat to lowest setting.
  • After 2 hours of simmering, some of the liquid should have evaporated.  Now add butter, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese.  Stir and let simmer for a few minutes.
  • Taste.  Now add salt and pepper to your taste.  Stir well.  Let simmer a couple more minutes.  Continue to taste for seasoning until satisfied.
  • Serve by tossing with pasta or zucchini noodles.  Top with additional parmigiano reggiano cheese and chopped fresh parsley.

Notes

  • I substituted Applewood smoked bacon for the traditional pancetta (Italian uncured bacon).
  • I also use beef instead of the traditional veal.
  • Parmigiano Reggiano is the king of hard, dried Italian cheese.  It has a wonderfully salty flavor...so it is important that you do not salt the sauce until the end of cooking.  
  • Since Parmigiano is quite pricey, you can use a domestic Parmesan cheese for the cooking and save the imported Parmigiano Reggiano to top the dish if you'd like.
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