I am a fairly traditional kind of girl, in the kitchen. But when I read The Sharper Your Knife the Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn a few years ago I instantly fell in love with her interpretation of one of my favorite pasta toppers, Bolognese Sauce.  I knew, that I had to make it, immediately. I literally made it that night.  We had already had an early dinner, so I set it to simmer on the stove for the next nights meal.

I had enough left over to use as the topping for a flat bread pizza the next day.  This flavorful sauce hits all of the notes that I like to hit when preparing dinner: normal ingredients,wine, lean protein used, simple to read instructions, wine, my kids loved it, budget friendly and…wine ????

As a matter of fact, I have a pot of this in the refrigerator for my family to eat while I am gone at BlissDom!  While I am at it, I highly recommend that you read this book. It is in my top 10 favorite books of all time for many reasons.  I laughed, I cried, I learned a few things.

Have a great day!
Heather

Yes, I know. Not the best picture. But, it is HARD to make pasta sauce look good ????

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE DE SHARON
(The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry)
2 large onions, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 bottle (750ml) dry red wine, I use Shiraz or Cabernet. I didn’t like it as well using Merlot.
4 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. Italian herbs
1 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley or basil (optional)
1 pound spaghetti, cooked and drained
Parmesan, grated
*I also add 1 tsp of fennel seed, because my husband loves it.  Leave it out if you don’t.
In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or saute pan, cook the onions in olive oil over medium heat until softened. Stir in the garlic, add the beef, and stir until the meat cooks through and separates into crumbly pieces. Add the wine and turn the heat up so that the wine bubbles continuously. Reduce by about half. Skim off any gray foam. Add the tomato paste and stir.
Cover and turn the heat down to very low, and cook for a minimum of two hours and up to four hours. Stir from time to time, scraping the bottom to ensure nothing sticks to it or burns.
Shortly before serving, stir in the cream and Italian herbs. Taste, and then add salt and pepper. Let simmer uncovered another ten minutes. Taste again, adjusting seasonings as necessary, and stir in the parsley or basil. Serve with pasta, sprinkled with Parmesan.
Serves 6-8.