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I'm so sorry for not posting more over the summer (Its still summer here in SE Texas and will be for at least another month). Between early summer travels and excursions and an unplanned gallbladder surgery I've just been too busy or too sick to post. But....I'm back and this recipe was so good my wife asked that I make it instead of my usual marinara and use pappardelle noodles more often too. I can do that.
This recipe starts out sorta similar to your usual Bolognese sauce but with a few changes to shorten cooking time that usually includes a VERY LONG SIMMER. It does fall under the category of stupid easy as there are no complicated techniques required. Too finely grate the veggies in this I use a Cuisinart Mini-prep food processor. To get that simmered all day taste I add a tablespoon of Better Than Bouillion beef flavor. End result is total cooking time cut from several hours to under two including the prep.
Also new to my cooking repertoire for tomato sauce making is using Passata, an Italian (plum) tomato that is perfectly pureed and seedless. It is sold in 24 oz glass bottles and so much tastier than the canned variety usually found on the shelves at your local groc.
I didn't have spaghetti and too busy to run to the store at school dismissal time (hate that traffic) so I opted for the pappardelle.
Almost Bolognese
- 1 sweet onion finely minced
- 1/2 c finely minced carrot
- 2-3 T olive oil
- 2 t minced garlic
- 20 oz ground beef (I use the Waygu ground beef from Costco)
- 2 t oregano
- 2 t basil
- 1 T tomato paste
- 1 C dry wine (I used a Pinot Grigio but a red would work too)
- 1 T beef Better than Bouillion
- 1 24oz bottle Passata
- salt and pepper to taste
In large stock pot over medium heat add enough olive oil to cover bottom of pan. Add herbs, carrot and onion and sauté until soft. Add garlic and cook one minute longer. Move veggies to sides of the pot, crumble in the ground beef. Cook until browned well. Check seasoning at this point and add salt and pepper to taste.
When the beef is browned add tomato paste and Bullion. Stir in well and cook until you can smell the tomato (about 1-2 minutes). Add wine and simmer until it is reduced to a syrup (about 3-4 minutes). Add passata and stir in until full incorporated.
If towards end of simmer time if sauce is too watery add a little more tomato paste, if too thick for your liking add a bit of wine or water to thin.
Simmer sauce 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with your favorite spaghetti or pappardelle pasta.
