Spaghetti Bolognese
Beef, Pork, San Marzano Tomatoes, Parsley, Parmesan
Chef Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel of Birdie’s | Austin, TX
Adapted by StarChefs | october 2023
INGREDIENTS
Bolognese Sauce:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
½ cup finely chopped carrot
½ cup finely chopped celery
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
8 cloves garlic, minced
¾ pound ground beef
¼ pound ground pork
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup red wine
28 ounces San Marzano tomatoes, hand crushed
⅓ cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons diced butter
½ teaspoon red wine vinegar
To Assemble and Serve:
1½ tablespoons kosher salt
1 pound spaghetti (dried or fresh)
Extra virgin olive oil
½ cup roughly chopped parsley leaves
Grated parmesan
METHOD
For the Bolognese Sauce:
In a saucepan over medium-high flame, heat oil. Add onion, carrot, and celery to the pan. Sweat mirepoix 8 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add beef and pork and continue cooking 4 minutes, breaking up any large chunks with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in tomato paste, a drizzle of olive oil, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Cook 1 minute, or until mixture begins to caramelize. Deglaze pan with wine and reduce until au sec. Add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and a pinch of sugar. Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Cook an additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add butter and stir until melted. Add vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Keep warm.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Once boiling, add salt. Add pasta and cook until just al dente. Strain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Transfer cooked pasta to the Bolognese Sauce pan and stir frequently for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until pasta is evenly coated. Remove from heat and add a drizzle of olive oil, parsley, and parmesan. Add pasta water if needed to thin sauce. Divide pasta between 4 serving bowls. Top each bowl with additional grated parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.
