Pork Bolognese

Um, here comes recipe #2 from Martha. I dunno. There the magazine was, there I was with all the ingredients in it, and suddenly meaty pasta was sounding SO good. And I have to admit, I have never used a recipe when making tomato-based pasta dishes before. I usually just throw things in with tomatoes and call it good.

But this. This is another story. I mean, there is wine, chicken broth, milk, bacon, AND meat. I had just made my own broth after cooking a chicken in the crockpot, and I happened to have left over wine, and meat and bacon in the freezer. I've also been working a lot lately and packing both lunch and dinner, which necessitates creative food composition and larger quantities. This is comfort food for meat eaters, it made the kitchen smell amazing, and the leftovers were delicious.


Serves 8
3 slices bacon, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 pounds ground pork (or other meat)
1/4 c. tomato paste
1 c. dry white wine
1 1/4 c. whole milk
1 can (28 oz) tomato sauce
2 c. chicken broth
1 bay leaf
5 sprigs fresh thyme
coarse salt and fresh pepper
cooked penne, for serving
grated parmesan, for serving

1. In large dutch oven or heavy pot, cook bacon over medium until fat is released (5 min). Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook until soft (6 min). Raise heat to medium-high; add pork and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned (7 min). Add tomato paste; cook until pork is coated (4 min).
2. Add wine; cook until reduced by 3/4. Add 1 c. milk; cook until reduced by 1/2. Add tomato sauce, broth, bay leaf, thyme, 2 1/2 t. salt, and 1/2 t. pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Stir in 1/4 c. milk. Serve sauce over pasta, topped with cheese.

*My changes: I used some homemade sausage (part venison, part bacon), had kind of bad wine that I am not sure if it was dry or not, and did not have fresh thyme. It was still good. So was the quinoa pasta I used, btw.