Bolognese Sauce

So, Americans pronounce it Bow-low-nays, and that just chaps my hide! Italians call it Bow-low-neh-seh! Say it with me, Bow-low-neh-seh. Good now remember it. I have to admit in recent years I learned that there is a difference between the two sauces. The American version is just really a meat and tomato sauce. The version I have here is a northern Italians sauce, and I learned it while living in Italy (so, you can’t get more pretentious than living there!). This is one of my family’s favorite recipes and it does take a long take to cook. So, follow the instructions and enjoy the sauce, it is to die for!

Ingredients

3 slices bacon

1 lb. ground beef

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup olive oil

2 carrots, shredded

1 onion, chopped

4 -5 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup red wine, Sangiovese

1 cup milk, whole

4 Roma tomatoes

1 TBSP basil

1 TBSP thyme

1 TBSP bay leaf, ground (use mortar and pistil)

1 TBSP oregano

1 TBSP salt

Instructions

1. Crush the bay leaves in a mortar and pestil, you want the taste, not the big leaves left in there!

 2. Cook bacon in a skillet until crispy, drain grease, and then crumble bacon in tiny pieces. Set the bacon to the side for later.

 3. Grill tomatoes on a wire rack above a low open fire until they become soft and tender. Then mince them up. (You can used dice tomatoes or tomato sauce if you would like, 1 large can will work).

 4. Put ground beef in a deep skillet with water, separate the beef in the water until it becomes soupy. Turn heat up to high and cook off all the water, while keeping the beef separated. When the water burns off keep cooking the beef until it starts to brown.

 5. Lower the fire to a medium flame. Add tomatoes, garlic, onion, Basil, bay leaves, Oregano, bacon, and salt.

 6. After mixing up the ingredients with the ground beef add the wine and olive oil and mix again.

 7. Last ingredient to go in is the milk. Pour in and mix up.

 8. Continue to mix the sauce and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, or until sauce becomes extremely thick.

 9. Serve with your favorite pasta (penne is best in my opinion) and enjoy!

PHOTO COMING SOON, OR LATER.  I DON’T KNOW—WHENEVER I MAKE THE DISH AGAIN