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Coppa Bolognese sautéing on the stove.

Coppa Bolognese

Ken & Verveine Oringer - Americas Test Kitchen
I’ve been eating pasta with Bolognese forever and the version from my dad’s restaurant, Coppa, is my favorite. Eating it brings back happy memories of sitting on our kitchen countertop and helping my dad cook. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and make some memories! We like to use three meats in our Bolognese—beef, pork, and turkey—but you can use just one or two, if you like. This recipe makes a big batch of sauce, so be sure to freeze the extra for later. You can use 1 cup of chicken broth instead of the white wine, if you prefer. We love tagliatelle with our Bolognese, but you can use 12 ounces of any long, flat pasta shape. - Verveine Oringer
Check out WTFCF Cookbook Review: Cooking with My Dad, the Chef.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Total Time 3 hours
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Italian, World Cuisine
Servings 4

Equipment

  • food processor
  • Rubber spatula
  • Dutch oven
  • Wooden spoon
  • Colander
  • Large pot
  • Ladle
  • Liquid measuring cup
  • 11-inch sauté pan or 12-inch skillet
  • Tongs

Ingredients
  

  • 2 onions, peeled and chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 4 celery ribs, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

For 4 Servings

  • 4 quarts water
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 12 ounces gluten-free tagliatelle pasta, or any long flat pasta of your choice
  • 2 cups Bolognese
  • grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

For The Bolognese

  • To a food processor, add onions, carrots, celery ribs, and garlic. Process for 30 seconds. Stop processor and remove lid. Use rubber spatula to scrape down sides of processor bowl. Lock lid back into place. Turn on processor and process until vegetables form puree and liquid is released, about 30 seconds. Stop processor. Remove lid and carefully remove processor blade (ask an adult for help).
  • In Dutch oven, combine pureed vegetables, ¼ oil, 2 bay leaves, ½ teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon, until vegetables soften, about 20 minutes.
  • Then add to pot, beef, pork, and turkey. Use wooden a spoon to stir and break up meat into small pieces. Add 1 cup wine and cook, continuing to stir to break up meat, until meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
  • Add 2 cups milk and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to rapid simmer (small bubbles should break constantly across surface of mixture) and cook until milk has reduced, about 15 minutes.
  • Stir in 2 cans crushed tomatoes, 1 cup chicken broth, and 1 tablespoon tamari and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced and sauce is thickened, about 1½ hours.
  • Stir in 3 tablespoons sliced butter and ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg until well combined. Turn off heat. Remove and discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For 4 Servings:

  • Place colander in sink. Add water to large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Carefully add 2 tablespoons salt and 12 ounces of pasta to pot. Cook, stirring often with a clean wooden spoon, until pasta is al dente (tender but still a bit chewy), 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off heat.
  • Use ladle to carefully transfer ½ cup pasta cooking water to liquid measuring cup. Ask an adult to drain pasta in colander in sink. Transfer pasta to 11-inch sauté pan.
  • Add 2 cups Bolognese and reserved cooking water to pan with pasta. Cook over medium heat, tossing with tongs, until sauce thickens slightly and pasta is well coated in sauce, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve with Parmesan. Note: Remaining Bolognese can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen in 2-cup portions for up to 6 months.

Enjoy!

    About the Author

    One of Boston’s most notable chefs and restaurateurs, Ken Oringer has over 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry. In 1997, after working renowned restaurants, from New York City to San Francisco, Ken opened his first restaurant, Clio, in Boston. In its first year, Clio was named “Best Newcomer of the Year” by Gourmet magazine, one of “America’s Best New Restaurants” by Esquire, and also earned Ken a James Beard Award nomination. Since then, he has gone on to open various restaurants in Boston, as well as abroad, to much critical acclaim. Ken’s inspiration for his concepts comes from his extensive travels throughout Asia, Europe, and beyond.