WHITE BOLEGNESE aka RAGU – Bolognese sauce is a slow-cooked meat sauce from the city of Bologna. To make a good bolognese you MUST start with a good soffrito or mirepoix if you’re French. Onions, celery and carrots are the main ingredients. Personally I like to use shallots, finely minced carrots and a little garlic also. Add to these some finely minced beef or pork with a quality white wine and you can achieve perfection when you simmer it with white wine, chicken stock and heavy cream for a white sauce.
White sauce is a refreshing rich and silky alternative to the traditional red sauce. Add tomato paste ditch the white wine and you have a rich and hearty Red Bolognese. In Naples bolognese contains more tomatoes. Always use a quality Parmesan!
WHITE BOLOGNESE
SAUCE
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces Pancetta finely diced
1 pound QUALITY ground pork
1 pound QUALITY ground Italian sausage, casings removed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 LARGE shallot, finely diced
3 ribs celery, finely diced
2 carrots peeled, finely diced
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 1/2 cups cups homemade chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons FRESH minced thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon FRESH grated nutmeg
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated and rind reserved
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
- In a large dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the pancetta to the pan, cooking 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crispy.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove Pancetta. Drain on paper toweling before adding to a medium bowl.
- Add the beef, pork and Italian sausage, cooking until browned and MOST of the liquid has evaporated.
- With a slotted spoon transfer the meat to the same bowl with the Pancetta.
- Add the shallots, carrots and celery to the pan sauteing for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are softened and slightly browned.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Return the ground meat and pancetta to the pan.
- Add the white wine, simmering for 3-4 minutes, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the chicken stock, cream, nutmeg, Parmesan cheese rind and bring to a simmer.
- Lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Cover loosely with a lid to allow for some evaporation and reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Season to taste with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
FOR SERVING
16 ounces rigatoni pasta
1 1/2 cups reserved pasta water
1/3 cup heavy cream
Grated Parmesan cheese
- Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil.
- Add the pasta and cook to al dente.
- Reserve 1 1/2 cups starchy pasta water and then drain.
- In a large skillet, add half of the sauce with the pasta water and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes, until some of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add the heavy cream and the al dente pasta to the pot, simmering for another 4-5 minutes until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta.
- Stir in 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and top with more freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
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