Weeknight Bolognese
This was a huge hit with my family. I thought the addition of the red wine might be too strong, but it makes the sauce so flavorful.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb. lean ground sirloin
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 ¼ cups dry red wine divided
- 1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 box small shell pasta
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground sirloin and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon for 5-7 minutes or until the meat has lost all of it's pink color and has browned.
- Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook one more minute.
- Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 Tablespoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a Tablespoon of salt and a splash of olive oil and cook pasta according the package directions on the box.
- While the pasta cooks, finish the sauce. Add the nutmeg, basil, milk, and remaining ¼ cup of wine to the sauce and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
- When the pasta is cooked, drain and pour into a large serving bowl.
- Add the sauce and ½ cup Parmesan and toss well.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine.