Weeknight Bolognese

I love a good bolognese and in order to achieve that it takes all day to make. The past couple weeks have been down right chilly and snowy. When the weather is like that, I want hot comfort food to warm me up. I wanted something like bolognese but didn’t have time to spend all day in the kitchen. My daughter is keeping me super busy with her cheerleading schedule and finding time in the kitchen has been hard. So, I turned to Ina’s new cookbook to help me out. She has a weeknight bolognese that doesn’t take long to make. This turned out fantastic. If you are like me this time of year, and have to run around like a crazy person. You can take comfort in knowing that you can still put a delicious meal on the table, even in the middle of your busy holiday schedule.

Weeknight Bolognese:

  • 2 tbs good olive oil, plus extra to cook pasta
  • 1 lb lean ground sirloin4 tsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
  • 1 tbs dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/4 cups dry red wine, divided
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
  • 2 tbs tomato paste
  • Kosher salt & black pepper
  • 3/4 pound dried pasta, such as orecchiette or small pasta (I used 1 pound)
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
  1. Heat 2 tbs of olive oil in a large (12 inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground sirloin and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5-7 minutes, until the meat has lost its pink color and has started to brown. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more mintue. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 tbs salt, and 1 ½ tsp pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt, a splash of oil, and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the box.
  3. While the pasta cooks, finish the sauce. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and the remaining 1/4 cup wine to the sauce and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. When the pasta is cooked, drain and pour into a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and ½ cup Parmesan and toss well. Serve hot with Parmesan on the side.

Source: How Easy is That? by Ina Garten

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