Beef & Pork Bolognese with Fresh Pasta

This take on a classic bolognese from Cumin Kitchen + Drink is all about layering flavour, with roasted vegetables, slow-cooked meat, and Grand Pré wine bringing everything together. Served over fresh pasta with handmade focaccia on the side, it will become a staple in your recipe book.

Serves 8-10

Main Ingredients

Finishing Ingredients 

Focaccia Ingredients

(Makes one 9×13 pan)

Dough toppings

Bolognese Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

3. Combine chopped vegetables, garlic, salt, pepper and 1 tbsp oil. Pour onto the prepared tray. Roast for 40-60 minutes depending on your oven. Vegetables should be very soft with a little colour.

4. In a large bowl, using an immersion blender or a potato masher, purée or mash the roasted vegetables, the canned tomatoes, the sugar and the beef stock until smooth as possible. Set aside.

5. In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp oil, add the ground meat, fry until cooked and some colour has developed. Break up the meat as it cooks to create a crumble. Drain fat from the meat and discard. Set meat aside.

6. Using the same frying pan as the meat, heat 1 tbsp oil, add tomato paste, cook on low heat until the paste has darkened and thickened slightly. Scrape into a bowl containing the cooked meat. *Caramelizing the tomato paste will sweeten the sauce and intensify the tomato flavour.

7. Using the same pan, deglaze by adding the red wine, bring to a simmer and cook for 4-6 minutes, scraping the sides. This will capture the f lavours of the meat and the caramelized tomato paste to develop a more complex sauce. Combine with cooked meat and tomato paste.

8. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, combine all ingredients and stir.

9. On medium heat, bring mixture to a gentle simmer, lower heat and cook on very low heat, stirring often to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook for 1-1.5 hours until the sauce has thickened slightly.

10. Before serving, add heavy cream to sauce, heat through gently. Serve with pasta.

11. Prepare your choice of pasta according to the package instructions. When possible, try the dish with fresh pasta, which is widely available at farm markets and specialty grocery stores.

12. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper.

Focaccia Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Grease a 9×13 nonstick pan (preferably metal). Cut a 3″-wide strip of parchment that’s about 16″ long. Lay the strip across the center of the pan, leaving a few inches of overhang on two sides. (The parchment tabs will help you remove the focaccia from the pan later.)

3. Measure flour into the bowl of a stand mixer, if using. This bread can also be mixed by hand, but it is a sticky dough.

4. In another bowl, combine salt, sugar, active dry yeast. Add lukewarm water, and whisk to combine. Set aside in a draft free area until the mixture shows signs of foaming.

5. Add the yeast/water mixture to flour, then add canola oil, and mix on low until a shaggy dough forms. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes. A very elastic, sticky dough should form.

6. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Use your hands to lightly brush any oil that’s pooling at the edges of the pan to rub the dough. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and set aside until the dough has doubled in size, 40 minutes-1 hour depending on room temperature.

7. Wet your hands with water or oil to gently flatten and stretch the dough to the corners of the pan. Cover the dough and allow to rise again until puffy, about 30 minutes.

8. Top with a heavy drizzle of olive oil (about 2 tbsp) , a sprinkle of flaky or coarse sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper and your choice of herbs. Dimple dough all over with fingertips.

8. Bake on the middle rack for 30-45 minutes depending on your oven. Focaccia should be golden brown.

9. Allow to cool slightly, remove from the pan using parchment handles and place on a wire cooling rack.

*Store leftover bread in a sealed container or bag at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months*

Local Source Guide

Produce & Pantry: Local Source Market, Masstown Market, Noggins Corner Farm Market, Stirling Fruit Farms Ltd., Uprooted Market & Cafe

Meat: A-1 Cape Breton Sausages, Masstown Butcher, The Pork Shop

Salt: South Shore Sea Salt

Credits

Recipe provided by Cumin Kitchen & Drink

Photography provided by Michelle Doucette

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