Remember the days when Sundays were days of rest and family time? My childhood Sundays always consisted of church, Sunday school, and then a fun-filled family day. Whether it was a quiet afternoon at home or driving around exploring, Sunday dinner always made an appearance. Oh how I miss those days.

Sundays always seemed to last forever, time went slower and everyone enjoyed the day without rushing. Well, there was a little rushing for church since my sister was (still is) difficult to get out of bed. I remember walking into church late so many times! Anyway, after church my mom would head home to start “Sunday dinner” (lunch), while we went to Sunday school. There were also a lot of times we went out to eat instead – either way it was always a fun day.

I think it’s nice to have a day just to relax and spend with the ones you love – it seems as though Sundays are just like any other day now. Well, I think we should all take it easy every now and then – take a break from the craziness and enjoy a nice Sunday dinner!

Today’s recipe is one I consider being perfect for Sunday dinner – it’s a nice comforting meal that is easy and can be made in advance if you choose. Invite your family over and relax all afternoon with a delicious bowl of my Sausage Bolognese.

Now, Bolognese is a recipe that every Italian has a recipe for, and it’s highly debatable on what is “classic”. I’m not Italian so I had to do a little research. What I discovered is that you need to understand that tomato sauce with meat is not a Bolognese. Tomato sauce with meat thrown in is just a meat sauce. Bolognese is so much more complex!

You can use whatever ground meat product you like – beef, pork, veal, (venison?), or a mixture. I decided to use sausage (made from pork) for a little twist and lots of added flavor. I like to make my own sausage (blog post on that to come!) because I’m in control of what goes in it. You never know what you’re getting in the stuff you find in the grocery store. However, your favorite sausage will work here, just make sure that it’s in patty form or easily removed from the links so that it breaks up easy.

Another important component in Bolognese is the vegetables – onions, carrots, and celery are a must. I like to finely chop mine and add them to meat after I’ve browned it. Then it’s time for the garlic – I like to add it after the vegetables have sautéed because the flavor stays a little more pronounced.  Then add in the tomato paste and season well with salt and pepper. It’s going to smell heavenly at this point – and it only gets better from here!

White wine goes in next, yes I said white. I believe the Italians use white wine in their Bolognese simply because the red makes the sauce too dark. The white wine is also much milder and doesn’t overpower the sauce like red wine will do. Once the wine reduces by half you’re ready for the tomato sauce. Whole tomatoes that are pureed in a food processor are traditionally used, but I prefer to use my homemade tomato sauce. I just think it adds more flavor and I love my sauce.

Now it’s time for some patience. You’ll need to let it cook on very low heat for about 2 hours – yes it seems like a long time, but it is necessary and your house is going to smell amazing. After 2 hours you’ll be left with a deliciously thick sauce. But we aren’t done yet!

If you’ve ever had a classic Bolognese you know that the sauce has an orange hue to it – this comes from milk. Yep, the milk is so important here. Not only does it give the Bolognese its color, but it also cuts any acidity from the tomatoes and gives it a great creamy quality. Just 30 minutes longer and you’ll be in pasta heaven. Use this time to cook your pasta and pour yourself a glass of wine – red for serving!

Tagliatelle is the classic pasta shape served with a Bolognese sauce, but it’s not easy to find in dried form so I just use fettuccine. Toss the beautiful pasta ribbons with the delectable sausage Bolognese and serve it big pasta bowls topped with plenty of basil and cheese. My mouth is watering – no joke.

There you have it, a traditional Bolognese with a twist. Feel free to use whatever meat you like, but I highly recommend the sausage as it adds a ton of flavor! If you want to try your hand at homemade sausage but don’t have a meat grinder, check out my quick sausage recipe below.

Bring back Sunday dinners and go make this Bolognese – you’re family will be thanking you!

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Sausage Bolognese

Bolognese is a classic Italian dish that is traditionally made with beef, pork, veal, or a combination of the three. My recipe uses flavorful homemade sausage for a nice twist on the classic. Serve with your favorite red wine and lots of cheese for topping!

Serves: 6 | Prep Time: 15 Min | Cook Time: 3 Hours | Total Time: 3 Hours and 15 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Pound Hot Italian Sausage, or your favorite sausage*
1 Small Onion, finely chopped
1 Large Carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 Large Stalk Celery, finely chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 ½ Cups Dry White Wine*
4 Cups Homemade Tomato Sauce, or canned whole tomatoes*
1 Cup Milk
1 Pound Fettuccine Pasta
Handful of Fresh Basil, thinly sliced
Freshly Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese, for topping

DIRECTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage to the pan, breaking it up as much as possible while it’s cooking. Cook the sausage for 5-8 minutes or until golden brown in color. Next add in the onion, carrot, celery and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the tomato paste; cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, being sure to scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pan – this is really going to flavor your sauce! Allow the wine to reduce by half, about 7-8 minutes, then add in the tomato sauce. Turn the heat down as low as it will go, place your lid about halfway over pan so that it’s partially covered, and let the Bolognese cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

After 2 hours, the Bolognese should be very thick and a deep red color. Gently stir in the milk – don’t skip this! The milk is what makes Bolognese a real Bolognese! You’ll see that the sauce now has an orangey-hue – this is exactly what you want. Allow it to cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente, about 11-12 minutes. Drain well, reserving 1 cup of the starchy cooking liquid. Toss the pasta into the Bolognese sauce and coat it well – if it seems dry add a spoonful of pasta water*.

Serve the Bolognese topped with fresh basil, pecorino romano cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil. Bon Appetite!

*Notes:

• I use my homemade sausage here. We like to make it in big batches and freeze, so I always have it on hand. I prefer the homemade because you never know what you’re getting in the already made – it’s usually very fatty, salty, and has additives. 
• You may think you should be using red wine here, but it’s always white wine in a bolognese sauce. Red wine is too strong and can overpower the sauce – it always offers too much red color. {cke_protected_1}
• like to use my homemade tomato sauce for this, but if you don’t have any on hand go ahead and use whole canned tomatoes. Just give them a quick whiz in the food processor or blender to make it smooth.
• Pasta water isn’t always necessary – sometimes you need a little extra moisture in the sauce. If your sauce seems dry, add a little at a time until it has the perfect consistency. 

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Quick Homemade Hot Italian Sausage

| Yield: 1 pound |

INGREIDENTS

1 Pound Ground Pork
2 Teaspoons Fennel Seed
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Oregano
1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper, omit or lessen for mild

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl combine the ground pork with all of the spices, mix well adding about a tablespoon of water to the mixture. Form into patties and use in your favorite recipe. 

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