Turkey Bolognese
Course: MainCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Takes Time, Medium20
minutes6
hours4-6
Many people think that bolognese is just a red meat sauce- not so! Great bolognese has a fine texture, is light on the tomato and has real deep flavors. To get this done takes some time- but it is worth it! This turkey bolognese is a lighter version perfect on pasta or in a hearty lasagna. Your patience will be rewarded with a complex and healthy dish that also freezes beautifully for weeknight meals.
Ingredients
1 lb Ground Turkey*
2 medium carrots, chopped fine
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 12 oz can evaporated milk*
1 and 1/2 cups dry white wine -or- Sherry or Marsala
1 32 ounce can plum tomatoes lightly crushed -or- 2 cups Pasata*
2 Bay leaves
Fresh Thyme-or- Rosemary (or both), about 1 tbsp.
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
Olive Oil
Butter
Parmesan Rind (optional)
Parmesano Reggiano, grated (to serve)
Directions
- Coat the bottom of a heavy duty sauce pan or dutch oven with Olive Oil. Add a pat of butter and turn the heat to medium.
- Once the butter is melted add onions, celery and carrot. Season generously with salt and pepper and sautée for 8-15 minutes (the longer the better, you’re looking for very soft vegetables beginning to caramelize- this is the beginning of building flavor). Add garlic and sauté for a few minutes more.
- Add more oil if necessary, and add turkey to the pan, stirring and breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon. The goal here is not necessarily to brown the meat, but begin to break it down and cook until no pink remains. At any point you can also use a potato masher to help break down the meat. Add Bay Leaves, Herbs and Nutmeg.
- Stir in evaporated milk. Simmer gently and stir the mixture until the turkey breaks into very small pieces and the milk reduces almost completely.
- Stir in wine and simmer gently again, until almost completely dissolved.
- Stir in tomatoes and parmesan rind if you have it. Set heat to low and simmer on a low bubble for approximately 1-3 hours (as much time as you have. During this time adjust the thickness of the sauce with water (perhaps from washing out your tomato can). The sauce should be very thick.
- Remove Bay Leaves, Parmesan Rind and Thyme Bundle (if used).
- To Serve: Stir into cooked pasta and loosen with reserved pasta water to desired consistency. Consider a pat of butter to stir in for richness and top with parmesan cheese. A drizzle of Olive Oil would not be unwelcome.
Notes
- *There are many ratios of ground turkey (meat to fat). I prefer 93/7 ground turkey but use what you like best!
- *Use your favorite tomato product (crushed, diced, pureed, etc.) or even sub in some chopped fresh tomatoes if you want. Just be mindful of the liquid content and adjust as necessary.
- *Use chopped fresh thyme or make it easier on yourself and bundle a bunch of thyme sprigs with butcher’s twine and remove later with the bay leaves. If you use rosemary, however, be sure to take the leaves off the stems and chop them finely. In a pinch a bit of dried thyme can do.
- This sauce freezes beautifully. Simple spoon into individual sized portions after cooling the sauce completely. Label and Date the containers and pull out whenever you need a quick meal with pasta. To reheat either use the defrost function on your microwave or heat in a small saucepan slowly with a splash of water.
- *Be sure you are getting EVAPORATED Milk and not another canned milk product. If you use sweetened condensed milk you will not be happy.
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