Three years ago, I cut almost all dairy out of my diet, greatly disappointing my Italian family. With some minor tweaks to my father’s recipe, bolognese was spared from the culling. Bolognese is a classic Italian dish with only a few absolutely necessary components, the most important being time. This dish is perfect for a lazy Sunday; take the off-hands time to relax or set yourself up for a busy week, knowing you’ve got several meals in the works in the background.
Cooking all in one pot and letting the tomatoes stew for 90+ minutes is crucial to getting good flavor. A thick-walled, stainless steel pot will hold heat better than aluminum, which may give better results for a long stewing dish like this. Once again, don’t be too concerned about measurements: focus on smell, texture, and your ingredient availability and preferences. I start with one onion and then try to add approximately equal parts of vegetables and meat. Cutting the vegetables small is also useful; the carrots will soften but not change size significantly and despite the high water content of celery, the fibers keep their size as well. Smaller vegetables allow for a very cohesive sauce; use a coarse chop on a food processor if it is available to you.
