Category: Pasta


Sep
2014

Easiest Turkey Bolognese

categories: Pasta, Recipes

For the past 3 months or so ive been making a couple batches per month of this turkey bolognese. Why so much you ask? For one, its super easy and then it lasts all week. Ill eat it for dinner, Ill bring it for lunch, and it gives my boyfriend another meal asides from frozen pizza or cereal to eat during the week (and keeps him from complaining that there is nothing in the fridge).

Why turkey? Its healthier, easy to make and I prefer it over ground beef. But by all means use whichever meat you prefer ground beef, pork or chicken. Or why not just add more veggies or lentils for a veggie sauce. This is really such an easy sauce to make and oh so tasty that you have no excuse to not try and make it. If youre feeling healthy, throw it over some spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles. If youre feeling like a hearty bowl of pasta to warm your sad and cold heart (winter is coming) use a big bowl of noodles. Pasta makes everything better.

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Easiest Turkey Bolognese

Ingredients:

  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup of mushrooms, diced
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb extra lean ground turkey
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp dried basil
  • 1/4 tsp dried parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Prepare all veggies by hand or food processor dice garlic, onion, carrots and mushrooms into small pieces.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large saucepan over medium high heat and then add diced vegetables to pot. Sauté vegetables for 5-7 minutes
  3. Add the dry white wine to vegetables, continue stirring until wine dissolves.
  4. Mix in ground meat, and stir occasionally, until meat is cooked through (about 5 minutes)
  5. Add crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes and dried basil and parsley and mix well.
  6. Add in bay leaf, and simmer sauce for 30 minutes ( less if youre short on time) stirring occasionally.
  7. Add salt and pepper to taste

adapted from The Cant Cook Cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld

Hope you enjoy!


Dec
2012

Pasta Bolognese

categories: Meals, Pasta, Recipes

There are a few classic meals that as a home cook, I still havent made. Ive never made hamburgers, wings, anything with turkey, any sort of pie, or jambalaya.

Yes. Jambalaya is a classic meal in my mind.

These dishes and desserts are on my food to-do-list, but on the top of that carefully crafted  list is Pasta Bolognese the all elusive and sexy meat sauce. HmmmHmmm

While it is a sauce I adore, there is unfortunately just one type of bolognese you can never beat your boyfriends mothers. To be fair, it is pretty awesome, but as Ryan so nicely put it Even if I spend 3 days slaving over my meat sauce, it will never be as good as his moms!

Who wants that kind of pressure?!?! Obviously, I do. And obviously my meat sauce was awesome, and got devoured.

But his mothers was better.

Pasta Bolognese

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb lean ground sirloin
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup dry red wine
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 7 minutes, (until the meat is no longer pink and has started to brown).
  2. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute.
  3. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits.
  4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 25 minutes.
  5. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
  6. When serving, add the sauce and 1/4 cup Parmesan to the pasta and toss well.

Note: You can simmer for more or less time, depending on how much time you have. Original recipe calls for simmering for 10 minutes at step 4 and 5, but I found the flavors werent quite ready.

Recipe slightly adapted from Barefoot Contessa 

Enjoy the recipe! And please healthy it up by omitting the cream (doctors orders).