Michael Simon Bolognese Sauce Recipes

PASTA WITH MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When hot, add the meat and cook, without stirring, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Break it up with a wooden spoon, then add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Add the crushed tomatoes and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until thickened and the flavors come together, about 1 hour.
• About 20 minutes before the sauce is done, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt liberally. Drop in the pasta, give it a stir and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Remove from the heat, toss in the cheese and serve.

BOLOGNESE WITH ZUCCHINI NOODLES

Steps:

• Heat a large Dutch oven with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef with a liberal pinch of salt and cook until brown, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the carrots, celery and onions in a food processor and pulse to chop finely.
• With a slotted spoon, remove the browned meat from the pan and set aside. Add the vegetables to the pan with a large pinch of salt and sweat until translucent and aromatic, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sweat 1 minute more. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get all the goodies into the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by about half. Then add the tomatoes, oregano, bay leaf, chile flakes and ground beef back in. Simmer for about 30 minutes.
• While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When you have 5 minutes left for the sauce, drop the zucchini into the boiling water and give it a stir so it doesn't stick. When the noodles are cooked al dente, remove and set aside 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and then drain.
• Stir the zucchini noodles into the sauce to coat the noodles. Add the reserved pasta water, Parmesan, butter, olive oil and parsley and continue to mix. Once the butter is melted and everything is incorporated, remove from the heat and serve immediately.

MUSHROOM BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse the mushrooms until they appear coarsely ground. (This can also be done by hand.) Set aside.
• Place a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the garlic, carrots, celery and onions with a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes.
• Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook until the mushrooms begin to brown and dry out, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and toast it until it looks rusty, a few minutes. Add the milk, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened and all the liquid is reduced, at least 20 minutes.
• Before serving, stir in some basil and freshly grated Parmesan. To serve, grate more Parmesan over top.

MOM'S LASAGNA, FALL VERSION

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles 3 to 4 minutes less than the package directs. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water, and pour the pasta onto a baking sheet to cool. Drizzle with olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking and set aside until ready to assemble.
• For the Bolognese: Place a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the beef, season with salt, and cook, breaking up any lumps, until it begins to brown. Move the beef to one side of the pan, add the squash and cook until it begins to brown and soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions, celery and garlic with a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and toast for a few minutes until it looks rusty. Add in the white wine, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the crushed tomatoes and thyme bundle and bring to a simmer. Stir in the reserved 1 cup pasta water and cook over low heat, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened and reduced, at least 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove the thyme bundle.
• For the bechamel: Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it forms a wet sandy consistency. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce to a simmer, then whisk in the nutmeg and 1 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until thickened and smooth, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the ricotta, pecorino and egg yolks, then set aside to cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place a 7-quart roasting pan or a lasagna pan on the baking sheet.
• To assemble: Spoon a layer of Bolognese into the pan, covering the whole bottom. Add an even layer of noodles and press into the sauce. Add a layer of Bolognese over the noodles, then another layer of pasta. Spoon some of the bechamel over the noodles, covering the entire surface. Add another layer of pasta, pressing down gently. Spoon a layer of Bolognese to cover the surface. Repeat the layering, ending with a layer of Bolognese on top. Sprinkle with the mozzarella, then cover with foil and bake until completely warmed through, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Uncover and continue to bake until golden brown and crusty on top, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and let set 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

MOM'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and a three-finger pinch of salt and sweat them until they're translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the neck bones and let them brown, about 5 minutes. Add the ground veal, beef and sausage, and season with another healthy pinch of salt. Cook until the meat is browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the white wine, tomatoes and their juice, and the bay leaves. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, making sure to get all of the browned bits into the sauce. Season the sauce with salt, to taste, and simmer for 2 hours over medium heat. Remove the bay leaves and neck bones and let cool. Skim any fat that rises to the surface.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add enough salt so that it tastes seasoned and allow the water to return to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
• In a medium bowl mix together the ricotta, parsley, basil, oregano, eggs, and Parmesan with a pinch of salt.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Ladle about 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of a lasagna pan. Arrange a layer of noodles followed by a layer of sauce and then some of the ricotta mixture. Top with a layer of mozzarella, smoothing it with a spatula to the edges. Repeat the process until the pan is full. Finish with a final layer of noodles, sauce, the mozzarella, and Parmesan.
• Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest, 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

BEEF BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Place a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the meat and a large pinch of salt and cook, breaking up any lumps, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic, celery, carrots, onions and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato paste and toast it until it looks rusty, a few minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the milk and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened and all the liquid is reduced, at least 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove the thyme bundle.
• Before serving, stir in some freshly grated Parmesan. To serve, grate more Parmesan over top.

SHRIMP BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Place a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium high-heat and add the oil. Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and, working in batches, cook until they begin to turn pink on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining shrimp and set aside.
• Add the garlic, carrots, fennel and onions with a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes if using. Add in the white wine and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened and the liquid is reduced, at least 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir the shrimp back in.
• Before serving, stir in some tarragon.

PARMESAN-CRUSTED POLENTA

Steps:

• Add 8 cups water, the oil and salt to a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
• Slowly stream in the polenta while whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the polenta is thickened and smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Drizzle with olive oil and evenly coat the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle 1 cup of the Parmesan evenly over the bottom of the pan and allow to toast until golden brown and nutty, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Pour the polenta over the Parmesan crust and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Set at room temperature until firm, 20 to 30 minutes. (At this point, the polenta can be refrigerated up to overnight.)
• When ready to serve, place the pan back over medium heat to warm the cheese. Place a large plate or serving platter over the surface and invert the polenta onto the plate. Serve topped with your favorite sauce.