Maestranzi Family Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions minced
- 6 celery stalks with leaves minced
- 1 garlic bulb minced
- 5 lbs ground beef 80 / 20
- 3/4 cup italian parsley minced
- 15 bay leaves
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1-2 cups wine white or red
- 1-3 carrots minced
- 1 1/2 cups kale or spinach finely chopped
- 5 large tomatoes minced
- 14.5 oz stewed or diced tomatoes
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1/4 cup basil chopped
- 1 bunch parsley chopped
Instructions
- Mince onions, celery, garlic, carrot, parsley, and kale. Set aside.
- Put large pot on the stove over medium-high heat and add olive oil
- Add the onions and sauté
- Add celery 1-2 minutes later
- Stir in ground beef
- Add a good amount of salt
- Add garlic and 1/3 of the wine
- Add in rosemary and bay leaves
- Cook over medium heat until the mat is browned, stirring often. (Begin chopping tomatoes and any other ingredients while you wait).
- When meat is browned, take a quick break and make yourself a little bowl of this deliciousness to munch on while you cook
- Stir in carrots and kale, and continue to stir over medium heat
- Add in the remaining wine
- Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, and canned tomatoes
- Work it all in until the mixture is consistent. Continue to cook and stir over medium heat and add salt to taste
- Add in chopped basil
- Set to simmer with a lid and stir over low heat 3-4 hours, adding salt and wine to taste
- Serve over freshly cooked al dente pasta (farfalle or penne)
- Add parmesan cheese and a little minced parsley to taste
Video
Notes
Playlists: Cool Girls, Folksy Upbeat, LL Kitchen Dancing
My grandma taught me how to make our bolognese when I was little and it’s always been a staple in our family. I’ve been talking about it for years but have never been able to share an actual recipe because my family makes the recipe more by feel, without measuring out ingredients and finally took the time to measure out and count what I was doing so I’ve got an official recipe!!! (I say “official” but please, do your own thing!!) My kids love to help and the older ones are pretty good sources of labor at this point!!
Serve over freshly cooked al dente pasta (I love it with farfalle or penne) and add parmesan cheese and a little minced Italian parsley to taste. Don’t eat the bay leaves but as a kid I always loved it when I got one on my plate! I hope you have so much fun making this one and love it as much as we do!!!
