I could go on all day about Bologna. It’s an amazing city, home to one of the oldest universities in Europe, and arguably the birthplace of modern medicine. The architecture is significant for its tall midieval towers, though only a few remain of the many that once dominated the town. The sidewalks are covered by shady arcades to provide respite from the noonday sun. Lively nightclubs can be found in large caverns underneath the buildings. Located in the breadbasket of Italy and along an important travel route, it became synonymous with high cuisine. Mom and I got married there, in the Renaissance palazzo that serves as the City Hall. Unlike nearby Verona (home to Romeo and Juliet), Bologna is not a popular marriage destination, and the mayor himself came out in full regalia to officiate. When he asked us why we chose to get married there, I explained that I had been there before and fell in love with the place. I also mentioned that Mom was a professor, and that Bologna was “La Dotta,” which is the city’s traditional nickname, meaning something like “the erudite” or “the scholar.” The mayor was visibly stunned that I’d used the term, and I can thank my dad for that: apparently, “Bologna è la Dotta” was the only thing he remembered from his college Italian class, and he was known to repeat it from time to time. Bologna is justly famous for the Bollito Misto, which is not well known outside Italy, and the rich Bolognese sauce. It’s one of the few sauces that go just as well on something thick as ziti or thin as capellini. I generally prefer rigatoni. Ideally, it should be made with stew meat of several varieties, but it’s fine to just use ground beef. It’s also best if you cook it on Saturday and serve it on Sunday. I usually freeze some, so I always have something to serve unexpected dinner guests.
Print
What you need
olive oil
garlic, 2 cloves, minced
onion, small
celery, 1 stalk
carrot, 1
bay leaf, thyme, basil
ground beef 1 lb (or stew beef)
ground pork ½ lb
crushed tomatoes, 2 cans/cartons
chicken stock
white wine
mushrooms, chopped
parsley, chopped
heavy cream
How you make it
- Coat the bottom of a big pot with olive oil.
- Add the minced garlic and chopped onion, celery, and carrot along with the bay leaf.
- Add the beef and pork and brown slightly (if using stew meat, brown it first before adding the veggies).
- Add the crushed tomatoes and stir.
- Add a cup of wine and maybe two cups of stock.
- Sprinkle some dried thyme and basil.
- Simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally (put a lid on the pot, but don’t close it all the way).
- Add the chopped mushrooms and parsley (and fresh basil, if you have it).
- Simmer for another half hour or so. If you are using stew meat, you may need to break or cut up the larger pieces.
- Stir in a dollop heavy cream.
- Serve on top of your favorite pasta.
Buon appetito!
Recent Comments