A killer Pasta Bolognese Sauce .......

I have been meaning to share with you my killer pasta bolognese sauce for a while now but I have always gotten side tracked. Sorry - but I tell you, it's worth it. Have you ever had a bowl of pasta bolognese in Italy ? No ? It's ok, I am able to bring Italy to you with this recipe. It tastes quite authentic to me. While growing up in Berlin, every year around Easter time, my mom would always take me to Italy. The first thing I would eat there was always a bowl of pasta bolognese and a huge slice of pizza, mmm. *Sigh*, I really miss Europe ......

Back to reality .... since I don't live Europe anymore and don't get to eat my yearly pasta bolognese in Italy, I needed to find the most authentic sauce that brings me back those memories and flavours. I have tried dozens of different bolognese sauce recipes and was disappointed every single time. I had almost given up until I stumbled across Mario Batali's recipe. To be honest, I never really liked his shows on food network, the amount of butter he uses makes me faint, but he claimed his sauce was THE best bolognese sauce. No kidding - it is soooo good. Damian thinks that it is even better than his mom's (sorry Nai Nai, he doesn't mean to hurt your feeling - just in case you read this !) or the one at Marcello's, our favourite pizza place here in Vancouver, BC.

You must give this bolognese sauce a try, you will not be disappointed - just trust me, like the many times you did before.


Pasta Bolognese, adjusted & adapted by Mario Batali

2 medium onions or 1 sweet onion, diced
1 shallot, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
8 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground sirloin steak (or 1 lb. veal and 1 lb. pork)
3 oz. pancetta, finely diced
3 - 4 mild italian sausage, casing removed
1 small can tomato paste
1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup white wine
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3/4 cup chopped cilantro and green scallions
2 cups sliced gremini mushrooms - optional -
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 boxes of pasta
Parmigiano-Reggiano, for grating

1. Step:
Place onions, celery, carrots, and garlic in a food processor bowl fitted with the steal blade and pulse a few times (you might have to do this is batches) until finely diced.

2. Step:
In an 8-quart, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and sweat over medium heat until they are translucent and soft but not browned, about 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Step:
Add the beef, italian sausage and pancetta and stir into the vegetables. Cook over high heat, stirring to keep the meat from sticking together, until browned.

4. Step:
Add the tomato paste, milk, wine, crushed tomatoes, thyme, cilantro/green scallions mixture, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, and remove from the heat.

5. Step:
When ready to use, cook the pasta according to the instruction on the package. Serve with grated Parmesan.

Enjoy !

* It makes a lot of servings, but this sauce freezes beautifully or use the leftover sauce for lasagna. *