OUR FAMILY BOLOGNESE SAUCE
By:
EVOO Cookbook
Spaghetti is a family staple at our house. But this one is not from Bob’s side of the family, it from Lenore’s Uncle Joe, her family’s Italian connection by marriage. She said she loves that Uncle Joe would always include both beef and pork in the sauce, and sometimes the pork was leftover pork roast or a few raw spareribs on the bone–and he always included the bone in sauce during cooking. This one includes ground meats for cooking convenience, but if you should have leftover pork this is a good rework for it, and be sure to throw in some fresh spareribs, if available; removing bones before serving.
Ingredients:
As needed EVOO
- 1 each onion, minced
- 2 carrots, small dice, (this is optional, but we like it for the extra sweetness they provide and no sugar is ever needed!)
- 1 bulb garlic, small dice (save 1 tablespoon for the end of cooking)
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- ½ pound ground beef
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 28 ounce canned organic whole tomatoes
- 1 cup sundried tomatoes, not in oil or use 4-6 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 tablespoon fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic,* minced
Method:
To rehydrate the sundried tomatoes, pour 1 cup boiling water over tomatoes to rehydrate for 30 minutes. Blend the tomatoes and water in a processor or blender before adding to the sauce. If sundried tomatoes are not available, use 4-6 tablespoons tomato paste.
Heat EVOO in large sauce pot; add onion, carrot and garlic and cook until aromatic. Add pork and beef and cook until browned. Add wine and reduce by half. Add canned tomatoes and rehydrated dried tomatoes or tomato paste. Add salt, pepper, coriander. Cover and bring to a to simmer an continue for approximately 60 minutes. (This may be done in 350ºF oven, if desired). Just before service, stir in the fresh oregano and fresh garlic; cook only 10 minutes longer; taste and adjust seasonings* if needed. Serve over your favorite spaghetti or pasta.
*Chef’s Notes:
-If serving with parmesan cheese, remember to calculate that when adjusting seasonings at the end of cooking.
-The reason we add a little fresh garlic after the majority of cooking is that it gives a nice garlic flavor in the foreground. But it is not necessary since the background flavor of garlic is already there. Also if you serve with fresh garlic rubbed grilled bread you can skip the fresh garlic. Our family does both!
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