Pasta Bolognese

Name: Pasta Bolognese
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italy
Ingredients: 220 g pasta; 250 g ground beef; ½ onion; 1 small carrot; 300 g tomato passata; 1 tbsp olive oil; ¾ tsp fine salt, plus more for the pasta water; ½ tsp black pepper; 1 garlic clove; 60 ml red or white wine; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 bay leaf; 20 g Parmesan, finely grated

A flexible pasta Bolognese with a softened onion and carrot base, well-browned beef, and tomato passata.

ItalyPrep: 15 minTotal: 45 min

This recipe's song

Ingredients

Servings2

220 gpasta
250 gground beef
½onion
1small carrot
300 gtomato passata
1 tbspolive oil
¾ tspfine salt, plus more for the pasta water
½ tspblack pepper
1garlic cloveoptional
60 mlred or white wineoptional
1 tspdried oreganooptional
1bay leafoptional
20 gParmesan, finely gratedoptional

Steps

Finely chop the onion and carrot. If using garlic, finely chop it too.

Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring now and then, until very soft but not browned.

Raise the heat slightly, add the ground beef and garlic if using, then break the beef up with a spatula. Cook until it loses its raw color and browns a little. To develop good color and flavor, do not stir too often: break up the beef, let it cook for 1-2 minutes, then stir and repeat.

If using wine, pour it in and let it bubble for 1-2 minutes until nearly evaporated. Add the passata, pepper, remaining salt, and the oregano or bay leaf if using.

Simmer over low to medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you would like to cook it longer, even better: it can simmer gently for 2-3 hours. Taste and adjust the salt.

Near the end of the simmering time, cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water until just al dente. Reserve a cup of the cooking water, then drain.

Toss the pasta with the ragù in the pan for 1 minute, loosening with a little reserved pasta water if needed. Finish with Parmesan.