Published January 1, 1999.
For the richest flavor and the most tender meat, simmer a mix of chuck, pork, and veal in milk, then wine, then add canned tomatoes with their juice.
Bolognese sauce is not hard to prepare (the hands-on work takes less than 30 minutes), but it does require hours of slow simmering. And sometimes the resulting sauce is hardly worth the effort.
A good Bolognese should be thick, it should be smooth, and it should have a rich, complex flavor. The meat should be first and foremost, but there should be sweet, salty, and acidic flavors in the background.
Start with just onions, carrots, and celery, sautéed in butter. Use a combination of ground beef, veal, and pork. For dairy, use milk, which adds just enough dairy flavor to complement the meat flavor without adding too much richness. Once the milk has reduced, add white wine for a more robust sauce. For the tomato element, use chopped whole canned tomatoes with their juice. Cook the sauce at a low simmer over the lowest possible heat for three hours—generations of Italian cooks had it right. Serve over fresh fettuccine or cheese ravioli.
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