Pasta Bolognese

Ingredients

16 Oz. Pasta of choice

Water, for boiling

Lots of salt, for pasta water

1 lb. Ground Beef or Lamb

1 Medium Sweet Onion, diced

6 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 Large Carrot, peeled & grated (fine)

1 28-oz. Can San Marzano Tomatoes

1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste

2 Tbsp. Salted Butter

Oregano, Dried Oregano, Red Pepper Flakes, Salt & Pepper, to taste

Parmesan Cheese & Black Pepper for topping

Steps

Sauce:

1. In a large pan with high sides, (or a dutch oven), melt butter over medium-high heat.

2. Once butter is melted, add diced onion and stir to coat with butter. Add a pinch of salt, cook onion until soft and translucent, stirring semi-frequently, about 5-10 minutes.

3. Once the onion is cooked, add garlic to an open space in the pot and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned and fragrant. Once lightly browned, stir together with the onion.

4. Push onion and garlic mixture to the edge of the pan and add the ground beef or lamb. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon, season with more salt, and cook until no pink remains.

5. Once the meat is cooked, reduce the heat to medium then add tomato paste, grated carrot, and canned tomatoes. Stir to fully combine.

6. Add herbs and spices to your liking, (about a teaspoon of each to start), and stir to combine.

7. Allow sauce to simmer, and once the sauce has been reduced slightly, (less watery liquid), turn the heat to low and keep covered while you prepare the pasta. (I recommend lifting the lid occasionally to give a quick stir. Also, taste a small amount of the sauce and adjust the seasoning to your liking, such as adding more salt, pepper, basil, etc.)

Pasta & Assembly:

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat.

2. Once the water has reached a rolling boil, add a generous amount of salt and stir to combine.

3. Add pasta and cook al dente according to box directions, stirring occasionally.

4. With about half a minute left in the pasta’s cook time, reserve a small amount, (roughly half a cup), of the pasta water and set it aside.

5. Drain pasta then immediately add to the pan with sauce. Toss to combine. (When combining the pasta and the sauce, slowly drizzle in some of the pasta water to help the sauce bind to the pasta. You don’t need to use all of what you’ve set aside, but it’s better to have too much reserved than too little.)

6. Remove the pan from the heat and serve. Either transfer to a large serving dish or serve into bowls straight from the pan.

7. Top with grated parmesan and a few grinds of black pepper.

8. Enjoy!