Homemade Spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce (Recipe)

Classic Bolognese sauce (from northern Italy's Bologna region) is made with a mix of fresh and cured meats.  In this version, Food and Wine's Marcia Kiesel uses a combination of meats - ground beef and pork, plus pancetta and pistachio - flecked mortadella - but increases the amounts to make the sauce extra hearty.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely diced

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 celery rib, finely diced

1 pound coarsely ground beef chuck

1 pound coarsely ground pork

1/4 pound mortadella, cut into 1/4-inch dice (optional)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 cup dry white wine

One 28-ounce can Italian whole tomatoes, chopped, juices reserved

1 1/2 cups chicken or beef stock or low-sodium broth

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons chopped basil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 pound spaghetti

1/4 cup heavy cream

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

6 Servings - Active: 45min; Total: 2hr 15min

Steps

1.  In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, melt the butter in the oil. Add the garlic, pancetta, carrot, onion and celery and cook over moderately low heat until the onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and pork and cook over moderate heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains, about 8 minutes. Stir in the mortadella and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the stock, nutmeg and 1 tablespoon each of the parsley and basil and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about 1 1/2 hours. Keep warm.

2.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain and return it to the pot.

3.  Stir the cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley and 1 tablespoon of basil into the meat sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then add 2 cups to the spaghetti and toss. Transfer the spaghetti to a large bowl, top with the remaining sauce and serve. Pass the Parmesan cheese at the table.

*  Rich, meaty Bolognese is great paired with powerful Barolo, because the heartiness of the dish balances the tannins in the wine.  Good Barolos like the 2004 Ceretto Brisco Rocche Prapo and the 2004 Elvio Cogno Ravera Barolo are no bargain, but they're definitely worth the splurge.