A&M: Imagine if vodka sauce merged with Bolognese—this beautiful, aromatic pink sauce would be the conglomerate. We like how Veronica’s use of ground turkey instead of beef keeps this simple to make but refined enough for a dinner party.
Veronica wrote: “The following list of ingredients looks daunting—it’s not. Chances are, other than the ground meat, the fresh sage, and the cream, you might have all these lurking in your pantry/fridge.”
½ pound ground pork
½ pound ground veal
½ pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 small tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
1 cup red wine
1 quart homemade or organic store-bought chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped sage, plus 2 sage leaves
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
Salt
2 tablespoons double-concentrate tomato paste, plus more to taste
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons vodka
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound short pasta, like penne rigate
- In a large, heavy saucepan, brown the pork, veal, and turkey over medium-high heat. Keep stirring and separating the meat while cooking. Transfer the browned meat to a bowl and reserve. Return the pan to the stove.
- Add the olive oil to the pan. Add the carrot, onion, and garlic and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Return the meat to the pan. Stir in the tomatoes. Pour in the red wine and bring to a boil. Add the chicken broth, all the herbs, and a large pinch of salt, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the tomato paste and continue simmering for another hour, stirring every 10 minutes or so—you don’t want any sticking or burning. The sauce should reduce and thicken.
- Pour in the cream and vodka and cook until the sauce is the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Taste, taste, taste—it’s up to you.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, then toss with the bolognese.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
Veronica: “The list of herbs is for dried—if using fresh (always better, but no big deal in this recipe) double the amount—more chopping for you!”
ABOUT THE COOK
Veronica Stubbs is a self-professed dilettante living in New York City. She is also Merrill’s mother, and an excellent cook.
Her favorite recipe from a cookbook: “Trances de Jambon à la Crème from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Use red wine and add some pre-soaked dried morels when you add the ham.”
WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID
Jestei: “This is good stuff, people. I used fresh sage and lots of it, and fresh rosemary, too. Funny how vodka seems so meaningless in the broader scheme of life, but it really does finish the dish nicely. A winner.”