As red wine season approaches, we’re thinking about what kind of delicious cuisine we can pair with bigger and bolder wines. This recipe for pasta bolognese is a nice transition into fall – it’s not so heavy that it doesn’t sound good on a warm night – and you cook it on the stove top so it doesn’t heat up your kitchen! This recipe for Pasta Bolognese pairs beautifully with 2016 The Oracle – the newest release of our flagship Bordeaux blend.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons butter or ghee plus at least 1 tablespoon for tossing with the pasta
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 pound ground beef
1 cup whole milk
whole nutmeg
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes, chopped with their juice
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 pounds pasta (we like rigatoni)
Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
salt
black pepper
Heat up the oil and butter in a heavy pot on medium. Once the butter is melted and heated, add the onion. Cook and stir until it becomes slightly translucent, and then add the carrot and celery. Cook for about 2 – 3 minutes until slightly soft and well-coated in butter and oil.
Add the ground beef, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Crumble the meat and stir well. Cook until the beef is mostly cooked through with just a hint of pink. Add the milk and let it simmer gently, stirring frequently until it has bubbled away completely. Add a tiny grating of nutmeg and stir.
Add the wine and let it simmer until it has evaporated, then add tomatoes and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients well. When the tomatoes begin to simmer, turn the heat down so that the sauce cooks at a very slow simmer. Cook uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring from time to time. Add 1/2 cup water whenever necessary. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Cook and drain pasta, add remaining butter to pasta and serve with sauce and freshly grated parmesan on the side.