Linguine Bolognese
I can’t believe that this will be our 10th Valentine’s Day spent together. From Valentine’s Day No.1 that coincided with that awkward dating period where I was asking myself “is he kind of my boyfriend,” and stressing about whether or not to get each other gifts (we did by the way - I remember I got Jordan gourmet hot cocoa + a new coffee mug). But this year being Valentine’s number 10 feels significant. We’re totally that couple that typically tells people “we don’t do Valentine’s Day,” & we don’t do Valentines Day in the sense that there are no dinner reservations, no over the top - expensive gifts, & no pressure to make it feel like the most special day ever. We do do Valentine’s Day in the sense that we make a point to do something festive, whether it’s baking cookies or making funny Valentine’s Day cards to give our friends, & we make a point to have dinner together at the house, exchange cards that are always the perfect mix of funny + heartwarming (I keep them all), and there is a loverly vibe in the air that makes it a fun holiday to spend together.
My cheesiest gift to Jordan: a handmade list of my 50 favorite things about him, all written on small cards, semi-decorated, and then whole punched & ringed togethe. Pretty sure that was like 2013 (?), and pretty sure it’s still hiding in his nightstand. Jordan’s cheesiest gift for me: a video montage of pictures of he and I over the years playing to “Ho Hey” by the Lumineers, which is still a very special tune to us. & I’m secretly hoping to dust off that bad boy & give it a watch this year. As for my gift to Jordan in 2020: practilcality is the name of my game, & new undies is what’s in store for him. Because homeboy literally tells me to buy him underwear every time I say I’m headed to Costco, so I thought something a little fancier would be a fun surprise.
& so maybe we’re liars when we say we “don’t do Valentine’s Day.” But doing Valentine’s Day, even on the smallest scale via a dinner at home, is always something I look forward to with my guy. This year, we’ve each committed to cooking each other a V-Day dinner at home. & all I can dream about is having a real life lady and tramp moment, & probably satisfying my craving for meaty Bolognese. A sauce so good, rich, full of flavor, and a true classic that I’ve never really made the right way. I’ve never spent a full day making making a flavorful, no shortcuts pasta sauce, so on a day where I’m free of having to go to the bar, all I want to do is share one of my favorite meals with my favorite person.
Bolognese has a special place in my heart. It’s something my mom never really made because she “hates beef,” so it was a strictly order is when you’re out kinda of thing. & when I’d order it was when I’d take my grandma - just me and her - to a down home Italian joint near her house. We’d each eat garlic bread and calamari, & order bolognese for the main dish. It was so fun we eventually invited my parents to join us, but mostly it was a spot for just us two. It’s a happy memory rooted in food, & I feel like I’m getting to relive those fond memories with Grandma Mayr & sort of share them with Jordan.
The richness of this sauce comes from cooking it low & slow, and using a whole bottle of dry red wine. It starts with the base - the veggies that are cooking in olive oil for at least 20 minutes so they’re browned, deep in color, and totally caramelized. You definitely don’t want to cut this part short, and this low and slow method is repeated every step of the cooking process. The only actual tomato used is a hefty amount of tomato paste, which packs a big tomato-y punch to the whole thing, and another essential in making a rich and flavorful bolognese. So now let’s talk the whole bottle of wine - everything tastes better when it’s cooked with wine. This is literally something I say to myself every time I cook a sauce of any kind. The wine reduces down leaving a really nice flavor to the whole thing (in any situation), & in bolognese the wine also turns the sauce a deep, dark, burgundy color instead of a tomato red.
An amazing dinner that unmasked some old, happy memories & allowed us to share a really special dinner during a time of year we do really enjoy, despite how many times we might tell someone else that we “don’t do Valentine’s Day.” Special thank you to Amazon for the 1-day delivery of a pink buffalo plaid table runner + felt heart garland that were delivered in just one day. They were the ideal small extras to set the mood for a holiday date-night at home.
For the Bolognese
1 yellow onion, finely diced
3 carrots, finely diced
2 celery spears, finely diced
2 tbsp minced garlic
EVOO
Salt & pepper
3 lb ground meat (I used 2 lb beef + 1 lb pork)
2 cups tomato paste
1 bottle of dry red wine (I used a cheap cabernet sauvignon)
4 c. chicken broth
Fresh thyme
Dried linguini
Good quality parmesan cheese (don’t cheap out now!)
Start by heating a large skillet (like larges the one you’ve got) over medium heat. Add in about 3 tbsp EVOO. Add in the onion, carrots, & celery, and cook until they’re browned and have a developed a rich color. This is going to take about 20 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes or so.
Add in the ground meat. Season generously with salt & pepper. Using a large spoon or spatula, break up the meat. Brown the meat, cooking it for about 15-20 minutes. Add in the tomato paste, stirring so it coats the meat. Let it cook brown 4-5 minutes. Add in the wine, bringing the sauce to a simmer. Let is simmer until the wine has reduced by at least half (the meat should no longer be swimming in liquid). Add in 2 cups of the chicken broth & the thyme sprigs (add them in whole), reducing the heat to medium low. Let it cook uncovered for 45 minutes. The broth should reduce, and you’ll add in the remaining chicken broth. Let the sauce continue to cook for another 90 minutes or so, reducing the heat to low if the liquid is cooking out to quickly. Low and slow is the name of the game.
Move to cooking the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add in the dried pasta. Cook to al dente. Drain, reserving a 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Remove the thyme sprigs from the sauce (just the branch-y parts). Add the noodles and cooking water to the sauce, turning the heat back to medium, bringing the sauce to a simmer.
Serve in a warm bowl, scooping up your noodles by twirling them with tongs or a large fork so they’re in a tight ball, & then place in your bowl. Spoon a little extra of that meat sauce on top of the noodles, and sprinkle with a little parm. It’s literally the most perfect thing.