Rigatoni Bolognese

Ready for a delicious, hearty, meaty pasta sauce made from scratch?  You've landed on the perfect entry!  I've made this sauce many times and love it every time.  It also freezes well, which helps if you don't have a big family to feed (this makes 4-6 servings).

This recipe comes from a cookbooklet I have called "Perfect Pasta" by Cuisine at Home.  I follow the recipe very closely--only slight variations have been made.

Link to my YouTube video of preparation: https://youtu.be/QUFdm-d-fLY

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef

1/2 lb. ground Italian sausage (I use links and cut off the casings)

1/2 c. yellow onion

1/2 c. celery

1/2 c. carrot

1 T. bottled minced garlic

1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes (or whole, with juice/undrained)

1 c. dry red wine (I most often use Cabernet Sauvignon or Côtes du Rhône)

1 c. whole milk

1/4 c. tomato paste

2 T. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 lb. cooked rigatoni

Instructions:

1. Brown the ground beef and Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Drain the fat and return meat to pan.

2. Mince the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in food processor.

3. Add minced mixture to browned meat and cook until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.

4. Stir in the remaining ingredients (except cooked rigatoni).  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

5. Serve over rigatoni and enjoy!  (I garnished mine with grated Parmesan Reggiano.)