DINNER
Weeknight Bolognese
How Easy Is That? (p. 154)
Ingredients
- Ground beef or sirloin 1 lb
- Garlic 4 cloves (4 tsp)
- Basil 1/4 cup
- Dried oregano 1 tbl
- Red pepper flakes 1/4 tsp
- Crushed tomatoes 1 can (28 oz)
- Tomato paste 2 tbl
- Pasta (orchietta or small shells) 3/4 lb
- Nutmeg 1/4 tsp
- Red wine 1 1/4 cups
- Heavy cream 1/4 cup
- Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup
Prep
- Garlic - mince — knife confidence is fun, keeping all ten fingers is even better.
- Basil - chop
- Nutmeg - ground
- Parmesan - grate
Instructions
Heat 2 tbl of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the meat has lost it's pink color and has started to brown. Stir in the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and cook for 1 additional minute. Pour in 1 cup of red wine and stir to scrape up any browned bits, and ignore any drive-by culinary nonsense from the sidelines. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 tbl of salt and 1 1/2 tsp of pepper, stirring until combined, while resisting the deeply human urge to fuss with it nonstop. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, a splash of olive oil, and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the box. While the pasta cooks, finish the sauce. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and the remaining 1/4 cup of red wine to the sauce and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. When the pasta is cooked, drain and pour into a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and 1/2 cup Parmesan and toss well. Serve hot with Parmeson on the side.