SAUSAGE BOLOGNESE
a slight, but very delicious, riff on the classic
While I never thought I would make many (or any) modification to my beloved bolo…. the other night when I had a craving for bolognese but nothing to use for the meat base except a fresh, spicy, Italian sausage, I decided to work with that… and wow. Of course that works (and apparently is not so uncommonly used in Italy and elsewhere). I might be forever changed.
This time I also went one step further and made a classic tomato sauce on the side, to be added to the meat. Usually, I just add a can of whole plum tomatoes directly to the meat for a more rustic vibe, however, this time I made a sauce with a hefty butter base, chopped fresh tomatoes, a can of whole plum tomatoes, and a couple of dried red chilies for a little heat. I then pressed the sauce through a food mill (truly the best and, in my opinion, the only way to puree your tomato sauce…. will talk more on this at some point in another post). Anyways, this was another forever altering result.
If you are a winter comfort bolognese lover like I am, I would highly highly encourage you to try this version. Bonus if you play my favorite sauce-making playlist (appropriately named delicious) to go along with it.
SAUSAGE BOLOGNESE
SERVES
4
INGREDIENTS
for the tomato sauce:
3 tablespoons of butter
a splash of olive oil
6 plum tomatoes, sliced
(if you don’t have good, ripe fresh tomatoes, double the canned tomatoes)
14oz can of whole, plum tomatoes
1-3 dried chilies, stems removed (optional)
salt and pepper
for the bolognese:
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 ½ cup of yellow onion, sliced (about 1 large onion)
5-7 cloves of garlic, minced
1lb of fresh sausage meat, casing removed (I prefer a spicy version)
salt and pepper
1 cup of whole milk
1 cup of dry white wine
1 ½ lbs of pasta (for bolognese use either a flat, long noodle such as fettuccini, or a short, tube pasta such as rigatoni)
To serve: some torn basil and shaved parm (both optional)
METHOD
Make the tomato sauce:
Heat the butter and oil in a medium-large pot, over medium low heat. Add the fresh and canned tomatoes, chilies (if using) and season well with salt and pepper. Allow the tomatoes to cook down down, while occasionally smashing with a fork or masher to help them break down. I also will add another knob or two of butter, and taste for seasoning along the way. Lower the heat about halfway to the lowest level and let this gently simmer while you start the bolognese base.
Then, make the bolognese base:
In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 12-15 minutes, until soft. Season with salt and pepper. Some gentle browning would be encouraged here as well. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes, until fragrant.
Then, add the sausage meat, and another slight seasoning of salt and pepper. Cook the meat, while stirring and breaking apart, until the meat is cooked through and no longer raw, about 10-15 minutes (reminder, if using pork, it will still be pink even when it’s cooked). Add the milk, and simmer until all the milk has evaporated. Then, add the wine, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the wine is about 95% evaporated.
Then you’re going to add the tomato sauce. I did this by using a food mill, and ground the sauce directly into the meat base. If you don’t have or don’t want to use a food mill, you can also quickly blend the tomato sauce in a blender and then add it to the meat. If you are feeling lazy or want a more rustic sauce, you can also add the tomatoes directly here without pureeing. However, I recommend the food mill over all other methods for this step.
Lower the heat to a very low, lazy simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. If it gets too dry and is sticking, add a splash of water. About half way through, taste and add additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
When you’re ready to serve, prepare the pasta. Bring a large pot of water, that is salted like the sea (very salty) to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for 2 minutes less than the suggested time on the package. The pasta should have a bite, be just at or under al dente, depending on your preference. Transfer the cooked pasta to the bolognese sauce, with a splash of the pasta water. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, while stirring, until the pasta is to your liking (about 2-3 minutes), shave a bit of parm over the pasta and give it one last stir. Plate and top with more parm, and basil.