MJ’s Spaghetti Bolognese

(photo by Emily Jilg)

by Emily Jilg

@inemilyskitchen.com

This is my husband Michael Jilg’s (MJ) favorite pasta dish – hence the name!

3 strips of bacon – chopped into small pieces

1 onion – finely diced

2 stalks of celery – finely diced

2 carrots – finely diced

2 teaspoons In Emily’s Kitchen Signature Spice

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper

1 lb. ground sirloin

1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

4 cloves of garlic – finely diced

3/4 cup white wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3/4 cup whole milk

1 16 oz .can of whole San Marzano tomatoes

1 1/2 cups of beef or chicken broth

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 lb. spaghetti

Parmesan cheese for topping

In a large Dutch oven, add pieces of bacon. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes rendering out all the fat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set aside on a plate with a paper towel. Turn heat to medium and add the onions, celery and carrots to the Dutch oven. Season with In Emily’s Kitchen Signature Spice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook on medium low heat for 30-40 minutes, stirring every few minutes. You want to let these veggies really develop in flavor and brown. After a minimum of 30 minutes, add the ground sirloin to the Dutch oven. Season the meat with a teaspoon of salt and pepper.

Brown the meat breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add the diced garlic. Continue cooking the meat for 20 minutes on medium heat.

Add the tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes. Next, deglaze the pan with the white wine. Cook on medium for 3-4 minutes. Add in the can of tomatoes, milk and the beef or chicken broth. Give it a good stir and simmer on low heat for at least 1 hour with the lid ajar.

After an hour, add the red wine vinegar. Give it a good stir, taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary.

Boil pasta until al dente. Using a slotted spoon, add the noodles directly to the pot of bolognese sauce. Add about ½-1 cup of pasta water to help coat the pasta with the sauce. Finish it off with parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!

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