Winter Bolognese

When we spent a quick, chilly Autumn weekend in Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany, I was inspired by the rich, flavorful foods we tasted and took the idea of making a slow-simmered bolognese back to Vienna, where we were based at the time. The remainder of the winter I made the dish at least weekly, since for my iteration, its flavor far outpaced the time it required.

SIMPLIFIED BOLOGNESE

base

• My favorite noodle pairing is rigatoni, made al dente in heavily salted water, with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking — though it’s classically made with tagliatelle

• To supplement an otherwise hours-long simmer requirement, I always purchased a jar of sauce as a base (like Don Antonio Sugo alla Piemontese)

• Fresh ground beef at 80% lean / 20% fat

• Fresh garlic cloves, minced

• Red onion, finely diced

• Carrot, diced

• Oregano, ground

• White or black truffle oil

GARNISH

• A fresh wedge of parmesan, grated

• Bruised, julienned basil

To prepare, simmer the beef in a skillet, and aim for browning. Drain the fat. To a sauce pot, add a healthy glug of truffle oil and sauté all chopped vegetables until soft. Add meat and vegetables to a large pot with your jarred sauce, and let simmer on low for as long as your timeline to dinner allows.

Garnish with parmesan and basil, and enjoy with a glass of red.