Bolognese Sauce Antica is purely and simply a thick rich meat sauce that brings an authentic taste of Italy to the table. The antica part of the title means that the bolognese ingredients includes milk which mellows the flavor of the meat while it softens the texture. The meat sauce is slow-cooked made patiently and lovingly by many Italian nonnas and mammas who want to take the time to develop the flavor of the sauce. The end result is the most delicious, creamiest sauce ever!
Next time try the Southern Italian classic Arrabbiata sauce.
For this recipe you will need: beef, pork, olive il, butter, onion, carrots, celery, milk, dry white wine, milk, nutmeg, Italian plum tomatoes, salt, pepper, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, fresh pasta.
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Preparing Soffritto for the Bolognese sauce
In our home, Mamma made sugo di carne {meat sauce}. So every time I heard the term "ragù," I thought it was just a brand of spaghetti sauce. It wasn't until I was much older that I discovered it's also a term for meat sauce.
Whenever we saw Mamma mincing and dicing her celery, carrots, and onions for a soffritto and then spotted a pile of minced beef on the cutting board, we knew she was making her sugo di carne. And oh boy, were we in for a real treat! It would take her about five hours to slowly cook the meat sauce, but the result was worth it.
This meal is reserved for a special Sunday dinner or a holiday. When I looked into Italian cuisine and experimented with recipes, I realized that mamma's recipe was Bolognese Sauce almost exactly like Marcella Hazan's. I wish now that I'd asked my mamma and papà more questions . . . taken the time to write down mamma's recipes.
I truly regret that so many questions will forever be left unanswered!
A celebration sauce
I remember once, after my Honey and I married, our family traveled to visit my mamma and papà. And there, waiting for us on the stove, was a pan of sugo di carne. I couldn't wait for dinner! My Honey and kids never tasted mamma's Bolognese sauce -- I knew they were in for a real taste experience.
And I was right! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the meal with lots of compliments to the cuoca {cook}.
Later on in the evening, I was explaining to my Honey how mamma made her sugo and what type of meat she used. His reaction wasn't quite what I expected.
"She used what???"
"She used beef tenderloin."
"You're kidding! She used beef tenderloin for a sauce? Why not chuck, or hamburger?"
"Because she wanted to make it special. Did I tell you about Remigio and his wife -- the friends from Isola D'Istria? Well, he works as a butcher in Chicago. He and his wife came down recently for a visit and he brought them some Italian meats -- including a beef tenderloin."
"But a beef tenderloin?!" He shook his head in disbelief.
"You know mamma and papà always want to share. Well, they figured this would be the best way for all of us to enjoy the beef tenderloin. And . . . they get more than one meal out of it."
Cooking is sharing love
I don't think I did a good job of convincing him. Now and then I'd still see him shaking his head and muttering beef tenderloin.
My parents survived WW II and all of the poverty and destruction that it brought Italy. They didn't take anything for granted. The meat was a luxury -- something they appreciated. Whenever we gave them anything, you can bet we'd get something back tenfold. That's just the way they were.
Our Bolognese Sauce Ingredients doubled
Now, for our Bolognese Sauce, we used beef chuck instead, and we doubled the original recipe. Whether you make one batch or two, the time involved is practically the same --four to five hours, depending on how long you want to let it simmer.
It turned out just like we remembered -- a rich, creamy, meaty sauce.
Traditionally the sauce is served over fresh tagliatelle, an egg pasta. Instead, we put it over our homemade rigatoni that we made on our pasta machine, a Christmas gift from our children. We will be posting that recipe and how we did it shortly.
Don't let the amount of time it takes to make the sugo di carne scare you off. Most of the time you spend letting the Bolognese Sauce slowly simmer -- you and your loved ones will be very pleased with your efforts.
And don't forget the milk -- it really does tenderize the meat making it incredibly rich and smooth.
And to my mamma and papà, I know you're together today celebrating, Happy 75th Anniversary, siete sempre nel mio cuore e nei miei pensieri.
If you like this pasta sauce you're sure to enjoy...
Arrabbiata Sauce - A smokey spicy tomato sauce that perks up your tastebuds.
Puttanesca Sauce - Pasta sauce that is as bold as its namesake. Aromatic and flavorful.
Quick Cherry Tomato Sauce - An easy sauce when you want lots of flavor and have little time.
Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce - Slow Cooking caramelizes the sugar in the tomatoes, bringing out the flavor.
If you think all tomato sauces taste the same. Sample these sauces and you'll experience the difference.
Tutti a tavola è pronto!
Un caro saluto e alla prossima.
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As I was updating this post I found this carino (cute) printable for our Italian Bolognese Sauce. I thought you might like it!!
When we need canned tomatoes we always use San Marzano tomatoes like these. Don't be fooled into thinking all canned tomatoes are the same, they aren't. Also be sure to read that they are genuine San Marzano tomatoes. You will love how your sauce tastes.
I wanted to share this Bolognese Sauce Printable with you. The quote I added because I truly believe Sophia was right on the mark.
Bolognese Sauce Antica Recipe-True Taste of Italy
It doesn't take a lot of ingredients to make a Classic Bolognese Recipe. What it does take is patience for the sauce to achieve the perfect authentic rich texture. The sugo di carne is hearty and exploding with complex flavors. A sauce you'll want to make often.
Craving a Bolognese but going meatless? This lentil-based version is rich, hearty, and tastes like it simmered all day -- no one will guess how easy it is! Your family will love our Italian Lentil Bolognese recipe.
If you like this recipe, please consider giving it a 5-star rating.
📖 Recipe
Authentic Bolognese Sauce Antica A True Taste of Italy
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 tablespoons butter plus 2 tablespoons for tossing the pasta
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 ⅓ cups chopped celery
- 1 ⅓ cups chopped carrot
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef chuck you can use 1 part pork to 2 parts beef
- Kosher of Sea Salt
- Black pepper ground fresh from the mill
- 2 cups whole milk
- Whole nutmeg
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 3 cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes cut up with their juice
- 2 pounds pasta
- Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese at the table
Instructions
- Put the oil, butter and chopped onion in the pot and turn the heat on to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it has become translucent, then add the chopped celery and carrot. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring vegetables to coat them well.
- Before adding the beef to the pot, mix the meat with a large pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix with your hands as you would for meatballs. Add to the pot and then break up the meat with a fork, stir well and cook until the beef is no longer pink.
- Add milk and let it simmer gently, stirring frequently, until it has bubbled away completely. Grate a little bit of nutmeg in -- about ¼ teaspoon, and stir
- Add the wine, let it simmer until it has evaporated, then add the tomatoes and stir thoroughly. Bring the tomatoes up to a simmer and then turn down the heat so that the sauce cooks very slowly. Cook uncovered, for 4 or more hours, stirring occasionally. If the sauce begins to dry out add ½ cup of water whenever necessary. At the end of the cooking time there shouldn't be any water left.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper. Toss with cooked drained pasta, adding the two tablespoons of butter, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
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