The Ultimate Bolognese Sauce

(from Lucianolinda’s recipe box)

Source: Bon Appetit- Mike Easton

Categories: pasta- pasta sauce

Ingredients

  • Spice mix:
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
  • Sauce:
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 oz. chicken livers, rinsed, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 l;arge onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 small-bunch thyme
  • 1/4 cup Mama Lil's Kick
  • Butt pepper in Oil or Peppardew peppers
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 14oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup red wine
  • 1 1/4 lb ground beef chuck (20% fat)
  • 1 lb. ground pork shoulder
  • 1 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • Pasta and Assembly:
  • 12 oz. Pappardella pasta (if unavailable, lasagna noodles will do)
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
  • 3 oz Parmesan, finely grated (about 3/4 cups)

Directions

  1. Toast spices in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. let cool, then finely grind in a spice mill or mortar and pestle.
  2. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. heat oil in a medium ovenproof pot over medium-high. Add livers and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until livers are deeply browned-almost burned, really- 5 to 8 minutes Add onion. thyme and Mama Lil’s peppers; stir to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring as needed, until onion is brown and soft, 5- 8 minutes more. Stir in garlic and cool until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in spice mixture and 1 1/2 tsp salt.
  3. Add tomatoes, then wine, stirring and scraping up any bit stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add meat and stir to combine . Mixture will be fairly stiff, but loosen as it cooks. Add milk and mix well- everything should be evenly coated.
  4. Cover pot with a lid and transfer to oven, bake for 6 hours.
  5. Remove pot from oven. The sauce will have firmed up; stir to loosen. Pluck out thyme and using an immersion blender puree sauce until smooth. Add vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
  6. makes 3 cups

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