Credit: Paul Feinstein
Ingredients
Ground beef: 340 g
Ground pork: 115 g
Onion: 1 cup (finely chopped)
Carrots: 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Celery: 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Garlic cloves: 8 (minced)
Tomato paste: 3 tbsp
Sugar: 1 tsp
Kosher salt: to taste
Freshly ground black pepper: to taste
Red wine: 240 ml
San Marzano tomatoes: 790 g (hand-crushed)
Heavy cream: 80 ml
Butter: 4 tbsp (medium diced)
Red wine vinegar: 1/2 tsp
Extra virgin olive oil: for finishing
Parmesan cheese: for serving
Flat-leaf parsley: 1/2 cup (roughly chopped, stems removed)
Dried spaghetti: 450 g
This deeply comforting spaghetti Bolognese from chef Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel blends beef, pork, San Marzano tomatoes, and cream for a rich, balanced sauce made to share.
How to make Birdie's Spaghetti Bolognese
01.
Boil the Water
- Bring 4 quarts of cold water to a boil in a large pot.
- Add 1½ tablespoons kosher salt and return to a boil.
02.
Sweat the Mirepoix
- In a second large pot, drizzle olive oil and heat over medium-high.
- Add onion, carrot, and celery.
- Season with salt and pepper and cook until translucent and tender, about 8 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
03.
Add the Meat
- Add ground beef and pork.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook for 3–4 minutes, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon until browned.
04.
Caramelize the Tomato Paste
- Add tomato paste, another drizzle of olive oil, sugar, and a pinch of salt.
- Stir and cook for about 1 minute.
05.
Deglaze with Wine
- Pour in the red wine and reduce until nearly dry.
06.
Add the Tomatoes
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07.
Finish the Sauce
- Lower the heat. Stir in the cream and cook for 3–4 minutes.
- Add the butter and stir to melt.
- Add red wine vinegar and adjust seasoning to taste.
08.
Cook the Pasta
- Boil spaghetti until al dente, according to package instructions.
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
09.
Combine and Finish
- Turn off the heat on the sauce.
- Add the cooked spaghetti, parsley, and a drizzle of finishing olive oil.
- Stir for 30 seconds to a minute.
- If the sauce seems dry, add a bit of pasta water. If it's too loose, turn on the heat briefly to reduce.
- Adjust seasoning.
10.
Serve
- Plate family-style with a chunk of Parmesan and a microplane or grater on the side for individual serving.
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