Tantalize your taste buds with this classic bolognese with a little extra punch. Simmer this collection of ingredients for around 2 1/2 hours and be rewarded with a sauce that is packed with complex flavor.
Ingredients
1 container of Trader Joe’s Miripoix Mix (onion, celery and carrot)
If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby, you can go old school and chop it all yourself. 1 medium onion, chopped, 1 celery stalk, chopped, 1 small carrot, peeled, chopped
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. Ground Beef (20% fat), patted dry
1 lb. Pork Sausage (believe it or not Owens or Jimmy Deans breakfast sausage in the tube is excellent – get spicy for more heat)
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
3 oz. thinly sliced pancetta, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
⅓ cup tomato paste
1 Tbsp. Bay Leaves
1 Tbsp. Oregano
1 Tbsp. Red Chili Flakes
1 Tbsp. Roasted Garlic Powder or Fresh Roasted Garlic
Pinch of Nutmeg (finely grated)
2 cups (or more) Better Than Bouillon Chicken Stock (pre-mix before starting the below process)
1 cup Whole Milk / Heavy Cream
1 lb. Pasta – Angel Hair (our fave), Spaghetti, Tagliatelle, Pappardelle or Rigatoni
2 oz. / 1/2 cup Parmesan (finely grated) plus more for serving
Preparation Directions
Trader Joe’s Miripoix is chopped pretty good, but if you add the mix to your food processor it will be a smoother sauce. Go rustic or go smooth. It’s your choice.
Add 1 Tbsp. Oil to a large pot or skillet. Break up ground beef and pork in clumps, not too broken up. Cook over medium heat. Season beef and pork mixture lightly with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until done (not crispy). Using a spoon with slots or grates to remove excess oil while transferring the cooked meat into a medium bowl.
Cook pancetta in pot/pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil, stirring occasionally until crisp. Add Miripoix mixture to pan and cook. If you chose the rustic road, make sure and saute the veggies until translucent and soft. No one likes a hard carrot in the middle of their bolognese.
Return beef and pork mixture to pot/pan and pour in wine. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, pressing down on meat with a wooden spoon, until wine is evaporated. The pot/pan will be almost dry and the meat will be finely ground. The appearance should look like little bits of meat. It does take some energy and effort. Add tomato paste, bay leaves, oregano, red chili flakes, roasted garlic and nutmeg. Stir and continue pressing down on the meat until the tomato paste is a dark shade.
Pour pre-made stock and milk into pot/pan; add a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to the low. Cook uncovered and stir occasionally, until meat is very tender, 2–2½ hours. The sauce should not show signs of boiling/bubbles only the occasional 1 or 2 bubbles. The final appearance of the sauce will resemble sloppy joe mixture. If the liquid reduces before the meat is completely tender, add an ½ cup stock and continue cooking. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning with salt. Serve over your chosen pasta. Garnish with parmesan. Enjoy!