A Lower-Fat Bolognese Meat Sauce

Andy and I took our honeymoon to Greece and Italy, and fell in love with the varied cuisines of both countries.  One of our favorite discoveries was the Bolognese sauce, which traditionally is made with all kinds of rich ingredients, including butter, liver, and cream. 

I can't remember where I first found a lower-fat recipe, but I've been refining my version of Bolognese for 5 years now.  This recipe freezes very well, so make a double batch. 

It's tempting to try and save time, but take it from me, every step is crucial for a hearty sauce.  Set aside an afternoon to make this sauce, and enjoy the process!

Ingredients:
1 T. EVOO
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
(If I have some uncooked zucchini, I’ll throw in finely chopped pieces as well)
1 cup dry white wine
12 oz. ground meat – I use a combo of pork, turkey and beef
1 oz. prosciutto, minced
1 T. tomato paste
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1 28-oz. can imported peeled plum tomatoes, with their juices, finely chopped
3 T. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 fresh basil leaves, or ½ tsp. dried
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
1 cup chicken broth or milk

Instructions:
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan.  Add the onion, celery, and carrot, and cook over medium heat until lightly browned. 

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Add half of the wine to the vegetable mix, and bring to boil over medium high heat.  Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce until the wine is completely absorbed.  Repeat this process with the second half of the wine.

Meanwhile, brown the meat and proscuitto in a nonstick skillet.  Be patient, this is where the big flavors start to develop.

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Add the meat mixture and the tomato paste to your veg mixture.

Add half of the evaporated milk, and bring to boil over medium high heat.  Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce until the milk is completely absorbed.  Repeat this process with the second half of the milk.  Don't rush this step!

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Pulse the tomatoes, parsley, and basil leaves together.  Add the tomatoes, parsley, basil, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and nutmeg to the pot.

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Cook over medium low heat until richly reduced, at least 40 minutes.  If the sauce seems to thicken too much, you can add chicken broth or milk to thin.

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I served the pasta with a side salad with homemade croutons.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon dried granulated garlic
2 teaspoons dried basil and/or oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 loaf white bread, cut into cubes

Instructions:
Heat the oven to 225 degrees F.  Mix the melted butter with the garlic, dried herbs, and salt.  Place the bread cubes in a large mixing bowl. Add the seasoned butter and quickly toss to coat the cubes evenly. Spread the buttered cubes on a baking sheet and bake until they are golden brown on the outside and crisp throughout, about 1 hour.  This keeps in the fridge for about 4 days.

Was this dinner a hit? I think so!