Pasta with Bolognese Meat Sauce

By junerodgers

Ingredients

• 2 oz dried porcini mushcrooms
• 3 T unsalted butter
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 lb ground (minced) beef
• 1 T fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 14 cup dry white wine
• 3 ripe plum (Roma) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 lb fresh or dried pasta
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Place the porcini in a bowl of lukewarm water to cover and soak until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain, squeeze out the excess water, slice, and set aside.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter with the oiul. Add the arrot, celery, and onion and cook, stirring, until very tender, 20 minutes or longer.

Add the beef and parsley and raise the heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes. Add the porcini and wine and cook, stirring often, until the wine evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and reduce the heat to low. Stir in the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Pour in 1 cup water, stir well, cover, and simmer until the sauce reduces considerably and is very thick, at least 1 hour.

When the sauce is nearly ready, bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; the timing will depend on the type of pasta used. Drain and transfer to a warmed serving bowl. Immediately pour the sauce over the pasta, toss well, and serve at once. Pass the Parmesan at the table.