Baked Rigatoni alla Bolognese
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 1:18 am
If you are lactose intolerant...fuck the fuck off.
It's based on a more or less traditional Italian Bolognese sauce. The ingredients are simple and readily available. It just takes time...lots of time. You can make the sauce with or without the bechamel enrichment and you can bake it or not. You can also add pancetta (or regular bacon).
Ingredients:
1.25-1.5 lbs ground chuck or 80/20 ground beef (do not substitute leaner beef).
One heaping half cup each of diced onions, diced carrots and diced celery.
7 tbs* unsalted butter
3 cups whole milk
1 cup dry white wine
1 28 oz can of whole San Marzano tomatoes diced w/ juice.
1 lbs rigatoni pasta
1/2 lbs whole milk mozzarella, grated.
1/4 pancetta or bacon (optional)*
3 tbs flour
1/2 tsp sugar
salt, pepper & nutmeg
In a 3 qt enameled cast iron casserole or heavy bottomed stainless steel sauce pan, combine 1 tbs veg. oil and 3 tbs butter or optional pancetta. If using pancetta, saute over med. heat until most of the fat renders. If not, melt 3 tbs butter w/ oil and, when it bubbles, add the onions and saute until translucent. Add carrots and celery, toss them well and saute for about 2 minutes.
Add the ground beef, 1/2 tsp salt & a generous grinding of black pepper and cook just until it loses its pink color. Add 1 cup milk and simmer until it is completely absorbed into the meat stirring frequently toward the end. Add the wine and repeat the procedure. You should have a nice gravy at this point. Add the diced tomatoes and juice from the can & sugar then turn the heat down to low. Let the sauce bubble at a lazy simmer for 3 hours, stirring every now and again. The fat will (and must) separate.
Preheat oven to 400 and prepare the bechamel:
2 cups milk
4 tbs butter
3 tbs flour
1/4 tsp salt
Gently heat the milk in a small sauce pan. Meanwhile melt the butter over medium to medium low heat and add flour to make a blonde roux (2 minutes). Stir constantly throughout the process. Add the hot milk in small portions (off heat) and completely incorporate each addition before adding more then add salt and let it bubble until thickened (about two to three minutes). Take care to keep stirring and control the temperature. If it simmers too vigorously remove from heat. Fold it in to the bolognese and add S&P to taste along with ~ 1/4 tsp or so of nutmeg.
Cook the pasta to a shade less than al dente and toss well with sauce. Place into a buttered 9X13 baking dish and pop it into the oven for ten minutes. Pull it out and top with the grated mozzarella. Put it back in until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.
It's based on a more or less traditional Italian Bolognese sauce. The ingredients are simple and readily available. It just takes time...lots of time. You can make the sauce with or without the bechamel enrichment and you can bake it or not. You can also add pancetta (or regular bacon).
Ingredients:
1.25-1.5 lbs ground chuck or 80/20 ground beef (do not substitute leaner beef).
One heaping half cup each of diced onions, diced carrots and diced celery.
7 tbs* unsalted butter
3 cups whole milk
1 cup dry white wine
1 28 oz can of whole San Marzano tomatoes diced w/ juice.
1 lbs rigatoni pasta
1/2 lbs whole milk mozzarella, grated.
1/4 pancetta or bacon (optional)*
3 tbs flour
1/2 tsp sugar
salt, pepper & nutmeg
In a 3 qt enameled cast iron casserole or heavy bottomed stainless steel sauce pan, combine 1 tbs veg. oil and 3 tbs butter or optional pancetta. If using pancetta, saute over med. heat until most of the fat renders. If not, melt 3 tbs butter w/ oil and, when it bubbles, add the onions and saute until translucent. Add carrots and celery, toss them well and saute for about 2 minutes.
Add the ground beef, 1/2 tsp salt & a generous grinding of black pepper and cook just until it loses its pink color. Add 1 cup milk and simmer until it is completely absorbed into the meat stirring frequently toward the end. Add the wine and repeat the procedure. You should have a nice gravy at this point. Add the diced tomatoes and juice from the can & sugar then turn the heat down to low. Let the sauce bubble at a lazy simmer for 3 hours, stirring every now and again. The fat will (and must) separate.
Preheat oven to 400 and prepare the bechamel:
2 cups milk
4 tbs butter
3 tbs flour
1/4 tsp salt
Gently heat the milk in a small sauce pan. Meanwhile melt the butter over medium to medium low heat and add flour to make a blonde roux (2 minutes). Stir constantly throughout the process. Add the hot milk in small portions (off heat) and completely incorporate each addition before adding more then add salt and let it bubble until thickened (about two to three minutes). Take care to keep stirring and control the temperature. If it simmers too vigorously remove from heat. Fold it in to the bolognese and add S&P to taste along with ~ 1/4 tsp or so of nutmeg.
Cook the pasta to a shade less than al dente and toss well with sauce. Place into a buttered 9X13 baking dish and pop it into the oven for ten minutes. Pull it out and top with the grated mozzarella. Put it back in until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.
