Name: Beef and pork bolognese pasta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 pound Ground beef, Wagyu if you like; 1/2 pound Unseasoned ground pork; 1 cup total Very finely chopped onion, carrot and celery, about 1/2 cup onion and 1/4 cup each carrot and celery; 2 tablespoons Tomato paste; One 28-ounce can Whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand or briefly pulsed; 1 whole Bay leaf; 3 tablespoons Whole milk or cream; 2 tablespoons, plus more to finish Finely grated Parmesan; 1/2 teaspoon, plus more to taste Diamond Crystal kosher salt; use less with a denser salt; 1/4 teaspoon, plus more to taste Ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon to start, then to taste Fresh lemon juice; As needed Water to loosen the simmering sauce; 1 pound Thick fettuccine, bucatini or penne; For the cooking water Salt; About 1 cup reserved Pasta cooking water; use only as needed; To serve Freshly grated Parmesan; Optional Torn basil and a small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Toss it in the pan

This sauce is easy to make and has a ton of flavor. Beef and pork give it some body, and pasta is a pretty dependable way to get the kids excited about a meal.

We learned something on the serving line that day. Putting the sauce on top of the noodles wasn't getting it to stick. A lot of it just fell off. At home, toss the cooked pasta with the sauce in a large pan. Give the noodles a minute to take some of it in.

My first choice would be a thick fettuccine or bucatini. Penne works too. Finish the sauce to taste with lemon juice, Parmesan and salt. For the adults, a little fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil are nice. Most kids are pretty happy with sauce and noodles.

Serve it with the garlic butter bites. No yeast dough needed.

Instructions

Make the sauce

Brown the beef and pork in a heavy pot over medium-high heat, breaking the meat into small pieces. Allow about 8 to 10 minutes. Keep enough of the rendered fat to cook the vegetables; if there is a large pool, spoon off the excess.
Add the finely chopped onion, carrot and celery. Lower the heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables are soft.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes until it darkens slightly. Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, measured salt and pepper. Scrape the bottom of the pot.
Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered over low heat for about 90 minutes, stirring regularly. Add a splash of water whenever it gets too thick or begins to catch. You want a rich sauce that still moves easily around the meat.
Remove the bay leaf. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the milk or cream and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Taste, then add lemon juice a teaspoon at a time, more Parmesan and salt until the flavor is right. It should taste rich and savory, with enough brightness to keep it from feeling heavy.

Cook and toss the pasta

Near the end of the simmer, cook the pasta in salted water until just shy of al dente. Before draining, save about 1 cup of the cooking water.
Put the sauce and drained pasta into a wide pan over medium-low heat. Toss for 1 to 2 minutes, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time, until the sauce coats the noodles and the pasta is cooked to your liking. Work in two batches if your pan is crowded.
Taste a sauced noodle and adjust salt or lemon if needed. Serve with fresh Parmesan. Add basil and a little olive oil if you like.

Beef and pork bolognese pasta

Toss it in the pan

Watch it in the kitchen

Watch it in the kitchen