Try the best beef bolognese pasta recipe you have ever had!
Beef Bolognese is the 101 of pasta cooking! But it has to be done right like everything else. Summertime screams of tomatoes, basil and my love for Italian food. The tomato sauces/soups that you can be made from these humble ingredients is really endless.
But for this beef pasta recipe we are really keeping it simple. I made Fresh fettuccine pasta (using my kitchen aid attachment )with tomato meat sauce. You can use what ever meat that you desire. I would probably use ground beef or veal or combination. Everyone has their own preference though.
If you don't like fettuccine or want to use a different shape, by all means use what you have and like. All of my recipes are starting point, you can deviate where you see fit! Here is the beef bolognese recipe I hope you enjoy it!
Beef Bolognese with Fresh Fettuccine
For Beef
- 2 lb ground beef ((wagyu or veal))
- 1 cup onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup basil (leaves)
- 3 oz parmesan
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Tomato Sauce
- 4 cups heirloom tomatoes (or 2 boxes diced tomatoes )
- 1 whole onion (chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 5 tbsp Olive oil
- 1/4 cup basil (leaves)
- 1 salt (and pepper to taste )
Basic Egg Pasta
- 3 whole eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 3/4 cup flour ((00))
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 splash water
How to make Fettuccine Pasta
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Place flour in a bowl and make a well in the center of the flour. Add eggs, yolks, water, and salt. With a fork stir the egg mixture until it starts to form a ball of dough. Then use your hands to form the dough. Add more flour if the dough is wet. Knead the pasta for 5 minutes and then cover and rest for at least 30 minutes.
Take your pasta and cut in half. Leave one half covered while you work with the other half. Take the half of the pasta with a rolling pin and roll until the dough is thin enough to fit inside the biggest setting on your pasta machine ( I use the kitchenaid attachment that is on a stand mixer).
Then run the pasta all the way down to the lowest setting twice. Dusting the dough with flour if it is too wet. Then on the third time run it down to the number 6 and cut the pasta sheet at about 12-18 inches long. Then switch the pasta attachment with the fettuccine attachment and feed the cut pasta sheets through the fettuccine pasta attachment.
They should be long, flat, and ribbon like. I would dust them heavily with either semolina or flour so the noodles don’t stick together. If you don’t have the attachment you can sprinkle the pasta sheet heavily with flour. Then roll the pasta up in a loose cigar shape and cut the cigar every 1/4 inch. Then once it is all cut up you can gently fluff them or unroll them to make your fettuccine.
Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment and add more semolina or flour so the pasta doesn’t stick. You can lay them down in a circle pattern to make a “birds nest”. Alternatively you could hang the pasta to dry a bit.
How to make tomato sauce
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The better the tomatoes the better the sauce! This is my basic tomato sauce but I have plenty of variations on this website. In a sauce pot add 3 tbsp of olive oil with onion, chili flakes, and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes and then add the tomatoes.
Add the water and 1 1/2 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil and cover with a lid. Cook for about 30-45 minutes and then add basil leaves. Then with a hand blender or vita mix puree until smooth. Add salt and pepper if needed. I would add a touch of cream if desired. Set aside and keep warm.
To finish
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In large saute pan add olive oil, onions, garlic, and beef. Season with salt and pepper ( sometimes I like to add fennel seeds). Cook for 10 minutes and then add 3 cups of tomato sauce. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Then meanwhile have a pot of salted water and bring to boil on the stove. Take a 4 bundles (birds nests) of fettuccine and place in the boiling water.
It should cook for 1-2 minutes until it floats on top of the water and is tender. Strain out and place in the bolognese sauce along with a little pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Toss well and adjust the seasoning if need be. Then taking a roasting fork (2 prong) twirl the pasta around the fork and place in a bowl. Grate fresh parmesan cheese, basil leaves, and a little drizzle of olive oil. Serve and enjoy!
