The Need To Know Classic That Is: Spaghetti Bolognese

When my mother would make spaghetti for me and my dad, she would always cover the noodles with a hearty meat sauce topped with cheese. I didn't know if she knew it at the time (I certainly didn't), but she was making spaghetti bolognese. She must have learned how from the Italians she and my father rented a room from when they lived in Toronto back in the late sixties. The type of sauce she made has more in common with the ragùs made in the Neapolitan region of southern Italy than the sauces of the northern Bolognese area it gets its name from; a true Bolognese sauce is generally served in Italy with tagliatelle ribbons, and not with spaghetti; purists will even say spaghetti bolognese is not an authentic Italian dish. Nevertheless, it is still a tasty pasta dish and while this version may not be as good as the version I grew up with, it's still a worthy addition to your recipe repertoire.

Ingredients:

1 can (794 g) crushed tomatoes
454 g ground beef
454 g ground veal
454 g spaghetti
60 g unsalted butter
45 g tomato paste
180 mL red wine
125 mL whole milk
30 mL olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
grated parmesan or cheddar cheese, to serve
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan at medium-high. Add the onion and cook for about five minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook for two minutes more.
2. Add the beef and veal and cook, stirring, and breaking the meat up using a wooden spoon until browned. Add the tomato paste and cook for two minutes, then add the red wine. Cook until reduced for about three minutes, then stir in the milk and tomatoes. Let it cook for one hour, then season with salt and pepper. Stir in the butter until it is melted, then, using a hand blender or stand blender, purée until slightly smooth but still chunky. Keep the sauce warm.
3. Bring a large saucepan of generously salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the directions on the package. Drain, and add to the saucepan with the sauce, or plate the spaghetti, and spoon the sauce over it. Top with either parmesan or cheddar cheese.