Chef Matt Delos’ Bolognese
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 lb pork butt, cubed (roughly 2 in)
1 lb ground veal
1 cup carrot, small diced
1 cup onion, small diced
½ cup celery, small diced
¼ cup garlic, fine diced
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
¼ tsp chili flakes
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 cups high-quality chicken stock
1 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
1 cup parmesan or pecorino cheese, grated
1 lb fresh cavatelli or gnocchi
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Heat a heavy-bottom saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the olive oil.
2. When the oil is hot, add the ground and cubed meat, caramelizing the meat until it is a deep golden brown.
3. Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic, stirring often until caramelized (8-10 minutes).
4. Deglaze the vegetable and meat mixture with the red wine. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
5. Add the chili flakes and chopped thyme. Stir frequently.
6. Add the canned crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Simmer over low heat for 2-3 hours, until the cubed pork is tender and begins to break apart. If the mixture becomes too dry, add a small amount of water.
7. Finish the Bolognese with half of the grated parmesan. Season with salt, pepper and fresh basil to taste.
8. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta (or gnocchi) of your choice. When the pasta is al dente, drain the pasta, reserving one cup of starchy pasta water.
9. Coat the pre-cooked pasta with the Bolognese sauce, adding a small amount of pasta water to loosen the sauce if necessary. Finish with more grated cheese and chopped basil.
