Rigatoni with White Bolognese

By CindyMac

Ingredients

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb Italian sausage, removed from casing
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
• butter
• 1 1/2 c dry Italian white wine
• 1 1/2 c beef broth
• 1/2 c heavy cream or half-and-half
• 1 lb rigatoni
• Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Step 1

Add oil to a large, deep saute pan to coat the base. Place over medium heat.

Add chopped onions, carrots and celery and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the sausage and beef to the pan, breaking into small pieces. Brown well.

In a separate pan, saute mushrooms in a little butter.

Pour the wine into the meat mixture and keep at a rapid simmer until the pan is almost dry. then pour in beef broth and lower heat to simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until the broth is nearly gone, stirring now and then.

Add sauteed mushrooms and pan juices to the sauce. Continue simmering until the sauce is loose but not soupy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Sauce should be highly seasoned. When the consistency is right, stir in cream. Remove from heat and cover.

Bring a pot of salted water to a full boil. Drop in rigatoni and cook until al dente. Scoop out 1 c pasta water and reserve. Drain pasta and return it to the hot pot in which it was cooked.

Pour the pasta sauce on top and fold in with a wooden spoon. Add some of the reserved pasta water if too dry.

Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.