Shortcut Bolognese Food

ONE POT PASTA BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Saute onion & garlic: Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Cook garlic and onion for 2 minutes until translucent.
• Cook beef: Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go.
• Add tomato: Once beef has all changed from red to brown, add tomato passata.
• Rinse out bottle: Pour some beef stock into the empty bottle, shake, then pour into the pot.
• Add everything else: Add remaining beef stock and all remaining ingredients except spaghetti. Give it a good stir, then let it come up to the boil.
• Add spaghetti: Add pasta, fanning it out around the pot. Leave for 30 seconds to start softening, then start pushing it in under the liquid.
• Cook pasta: Once fully submerged, cook for 12 minutes, stirring every minute or so, and more towards the end. At about the 8 minute mark, lower the heat to medium otherwise the base might catch (but ensure it is still bubbling gently - you don't want pasta just bloating in warm water).
• Remove from stove, toss well: Take it off the stove once the pasta is JUST cooked, the tiniest bit firmer than you want, and when still saucy. Toss it for about 30 seconds or so - the sauce will reduce further, the pasta will finish cooking.
• Serve immediately, garnished with parmesan.

SIMPLE BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• In a large skillet heat the olive oil. When almost smoking, add the onion and garlic and saute over medium heat until the onions become very soft, about 8 minutes. Add the celery and carrot and saute for 5 minutes. Raise heat to high and add the ground beef. Saute, stirring frequently and breaking up any large lumps and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley and basil and cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. This will take approximately 1/2 hour. Finish bolognese with Pecorino Romano.

FAST SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onion, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, 3 minutes. Add beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.
• Add pasta to the pot and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
• Meanwhile, add tomato paste to skillet and cook, stirring, until darkened, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup water, Worcestershire, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
• Using tongs, transfer pasta directly from the pot to the skillet along with 1 cup pasta water. Increase heat to high and simmer vigorously, tossing, until sauce reduces and coats the pasta, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with Parmesan.

TURKEY BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and celery and saute until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and saute 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend, stirring often. Stir in the basil. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Cool the sauce completely, then transfer it to a container and freeze for future use. Bring the sauce to a simmer before using.)
• Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten as needed. Serve with the Parmesan.