Pasta in a Bolognese Meat Sauce

2 servings

Preparation 5 min / Cooking 15 min

450 calories per serving

160 g tortiglioni or pene

2/3 cup Bolognese Meat Sauce (recipe below)

2 tbsp pasta cooking water

2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta according to package directions.  While the pasta is cooking , heat the meat sauce (which has bee prepared in advance) in a saucepan over low heat.  Add the specified amount of pasta cooking water to dilute the sauce a bit, and warm up just a few minutes.  Put the drained tortiglioni back in to the pasta cooking pot, add the sauce and mix well.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve in warmed dishes.

Bolognese Meat Sauce

Makes 750 ml (3 cups)
Preparation 30 min / Cooking 1 hour

1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 slice bacon, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp butter, unsalted
1 tbsp olive oil
360 g ground beef, lean or medium-lean
1/3 cup milk, 2%
1/3 cup white wine (I used red wine)
1 cup canned tomatoes (diced or chopped)
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste.

Finely chop the onion, carrot, garlic, celery and bacon.  Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the vegetables and bacon, then cook until softened, 5-6 minutes, whit some stirring.  Add the meat, then salt and pepper to taste.  Cook, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat with a spoon until it loses its pink colour and starts browning, about 7-8 minutes.
Raise the heat to high, then add the milk.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes.  Add the wine, then cook, stirring frequently, until the wine has evaporated, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and oregano, then cover and simmer gently over low heat for at least 1 hour.  Stir occasionally and add some water as needed to prevent the sauce from becoming too dry.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.  It is important to simmer all the ingredients until the sauce is think and the beef very tender.
The sauce can be stored up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer.

Delicious, that all I am going to say . . .