Serves 6- 8, with leftovers.
Prep time ½ hour
Cook time 1 ½ - 2 hours
Total time 2 - 2 ½ hours
Ingredients
- 2 medium sized beef marrow bones (reserve marrow once cooked)
- 10 ounces diced pancetta
- dash of salt and pepper
- 4 carrots diced
- 4 celery stalks diced
- 2 mediums sized Spanish onions diced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1/3 cup celery greens, minced
- 3 Bay leaves
- 1/2 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 lb. ground pork
- 1/2 lb. ground veal
- 4 fillets of caned anchovies
- 1 28 ounce can of puree tomatoes
- 1/2 of additional 28 ounce can of pureed tomatoes
- 3 cups dry white wine
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3 teaspoons fresh thyme, either tied together, wrapped in a cheesecloth or secured in a tea ball
- 2 rinds of Pecorino Romano cheese, roughly 10 ounces
- 2/3 nutmeg grated
- bone marrow
Instructions
Rub marrow bones with a dash of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, broil under a low - medium flame, rotating regularly so as to thoroughly brown, but not burn the bones. Set bones aside once they are browned.
Cut pancetta, carrots, celery and onion into fine dice. Over a medium- low flame render the fat from the diced pancetta, cook until it starts to crisp. Add diced carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, salt and anchovies to pancetta. As vegetables become translucent, add garlic and celery greens. After garlic and celery become translucent add meat. Stir and break up meat, cooking over medium heat.
Add tomatoes, wine, milk, thyme, cheese rinds, nutmeg and marrow bones. Cook over low- medium heat, uncovered for 1- 1 1/2 hours. Cook sauce down so it thickens to a chunky sauce that doesn’t pool or run. If sauce isn’t cooking down and thickening, remove lid and continue cooking until thickened.
Remove marrow bones and let rest until cool enough to handle. Once bones are cool, slice off any meat clinging to bones and remove the marrow. Using a chef’s knife, puree the marrow and shred any meat removed from the bones. Add this to the bolognese and mix well, cook into sauce for the last 1/2 hour of total cooking time. When the sauce is ready remove and discard bay leaves, cheese rinds and thyme.
Serve over wide cut of pasta such as Tagliatelle or Pappardelle with grated cheese to pass.