Ruffled Mafaldine with Quick Bolognese
Mafaldine, also known as reginette (“little queens”), is an elegant ribbon pasta with delicate ruffled edges, named in honor of Princess Mafalda of Savoy. Its rippled shape beautifully captures rich sauces, making it an ideal match for this quick Bolognese. Inspired by the hearty meat sauces of northern Italy, this streamlined version combines ground beef, Italian sausage, mushrooms, vegetables, tomatoes, red wine, and a touch of cream to create deep, slow-simmered flavor in about 30 minutes.
- Serves
- 4-6
Directions
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Sauté the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and mushrooms, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
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Cook the Meat: Add the ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink. Drain any excess fat if necessary.
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Add Seasoning: Stir in the salt, pepper, oregano, Italian seasoning, rosemary, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the tomato paste darkens slightly.
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Deglaze: Pour in the red wine and simmer until nearly evaporated, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
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Simmer with Tomatoes: Add the crushed tomatoes and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
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Add Dairy: Stir in the milk or cream, butter, and Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
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Serve: Serve over freshly cooked pappardelle, mafaldine, or tagliatelle and garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped herbs.
From Shawnie's class “La Dolce Vita: An Italian Feast”
