BA's Best Bolognese and Buses

As I am getting a little bit older every day, I feel like I am also getting a little wiser and paying attention to signs in life.

The other day I needed to take the bus to work.  I take 2 buses.  One from my little "2 traffic light" town that takes me to the "city".  Then I take that bus for the majority of my commute to my job in 

another city.

I went to my normal second bus stop and no one was around, which never happens.  I look at the bus shelter and there is a sign.  "No service from 7am to 1pm, due to parade".  You have got to be kidding me!

So I figured out the parade route and realized I needed to walk 9 blocks to get to the next working bus stop off the parade route.  It was a beautiful, cool, sunny morning and I needed to walk off some of my vacation calories from the prior weekend anyway.  I guess I didn't walk fast enough, because I missed it by 2 minutes!

I wait for 45 minutes to catch the next bus.  I get on the bus and 20 minutes into the ride, the highway is shut down on one side for an Iron Man marathon!  Three hours it took me to get to work...and I forgot to pack my book with me!

Well, all that bus time just meant that I was not to be hurried that day and apparently needed some down time. During my 3 hours I found some new recipes...including this one.  It is positively wonderful, easy, and the family loved it!  

BA's Best Bolognese

Courtesy of Bon Appetit

1 medium onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 small carrot, peeled, chopped

3 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb. ground beef chuck (20% fat)

Kosher salt

3 oz. thinly sliced pancetta, finely chopped

1 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup tomato paste

1 bay leaf

pinch of finely grated nutmeg

2 cups (or more) low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup whole milk

1 lb. fresh tagliatelle or pappardelle, or dry rigatoni (I used dried Bucatini)

2 oz. finely grated Parmesan, (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving

Pulse onion, celery, and carrot in a food processor until very finely chopped.  Transfer to a small bowl.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium.  Break beef into small clumps and add to pot; season lightly with salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally but not breaking meat apart, until beef is lightly browned but not crisp, 6-8 minutes.  It may be gray in spots (that's okay) and still a little pink in the center.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a medium bow.

Wipe out pot.  Cook pancetta in pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pancetta has released some of its fat and is crisp, 6-8 minutes.  Add onion mixture to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and beginning to stick to surface, 6-8 minutes.  

Return beef to pot and pour in wine.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, smashing down on beef with wooden spoon, until wine is evaporated, surface of pot is almost dry, and meat is finely ground.  12-15 minutes.  (The meat should be reduced to what looks like little bits.) Add tomato paste, bay leaf, and nutmeg and cook, stirring occasionally and still pressing down on meat, until tomato paste is slightly darkened, about 5 minutes.  

Pour stock and milk into pot; add a pinch of salt.  Reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until meat is very, very tender, 2 to 2-1/2 hours.  There shouldn't be any rapid bubbles at this stage.  Instead, the sauce should release the occasional small bubble or two.  When finished, the sauce should have the texture of and look like a sloppy joe mixture.  If the liquid reduces before the meat is completely tender, add an extra 1/2 cup stock and continue cooking.  Discard bay leaf.  Taste sauce and adjust seasoning with salt.  Keep warm. 

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water.  If using fresh pasta, cook about 3 minutes.  If using dry, cook until very al dente, about 2 minutes (less than package directions).

Using tongs, transfer the pasta to pot with sauce.  Add 1 cup pasta cooking liquid and 1/2 cup Parmesan.  Increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and liquid is slighting thickened, about 1 minutes.

Transfer pasta to a platter and top with more Parmesan.

One Year Ago: No Post

Two Years Ago: Raspberry Cream Pie (Galette)

Three Years Ago: Glamping and Potato Packets

Four Years Ago: GGMa's Angel Food Cake

Five Years Ago: Baja Turkey Tostadas

Six Years Ago: Sunrise Bars