B's Famous Bolognese
This recipe has been passed down through generations, meticulously perfected to create the ultimate meaty and flavorful spaghetti bolognese. Whether you prefer ground turkey or beef, this dish will tantalize your taste buds with its rich and hearty flavor.
This recipe has been passed down through generations, meticulously perfected to create the ultimate meaty and flavorful spaghetti bolognese. Whether you prefer ground turkey or beef, this dish will tantalize your taste buds with its rich and hearty flavor.
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 box spaghetti 8 oz
- 1/2 jar spaghetti sauce
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 2 tablespoon italian seasoning
- 1 red or yellow onion finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 bunch fresh parsley chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 sprigs thyme chopped
- parmesan grated
- Carbohydrate 57.5584810706521 g
- Cholesterol 75.648760125 mg
- Fat 7.27299029997757 g
- Fiber 4.93643837866744 g
- Protein 35.2607767250794 g
- Saturated Fat 2.05041972747962 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (274g)
- Sodium 286.839045659678 mg
- Sugar 52.6220426919847 g
- Trans Fat 1.0588443041258 g
- Calories 441 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, and add boxed spaghetti.
- Chop up onion and saute. Then add garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Sweat garlic and herbs, then add tomato paste. Stir.
- Add ground turkey and cook until broken up in small pieces and no longer pink.
- Add paprika, cayenne pepper, italian seasoning, salt and pepper, then add spaghetti sauce. Stir. Cover with lid. Simmer.
- Check on pasta. If cooked to al dente, remove it from the heat, drain it, and toss it with a little olive oil to prevent it from sticking. Set aside.
- Once the spaghetti sauce has been simmering for 30 minutes, add fresh chopped parsley and basil. Take off heat, and let sit for another 5 minutes.
- Serve and top with grated parmesan.
Undercooking the aromatic base before adding moisture remains the primary error when building meat sauces. Finely chopped onions require sustained moderate heat until translucent, typically eight to ten minutes, to break down harsh sulfur compounds. Rushing this stage leaves a sharp, raw edge that undermines the sweet notes of the tomato paste.
Managing Protein and Spice Variations
Replacing ground turkey with beef alters the fat profile significantly, requiring drainage of excess rendered grease before incorporating the jarred sauce to prevent a heavy surface slick. Leaner poultry proteins benefit from direct contact with the hot oil and spices early in the process. Toasting the two teaspoons of paprika and half teaspoon of cayenne directly in the fat during the browning phase releases lipid-soluble capsaicin compounds, distributing heat more evenly than stirring spices into wet sauce. Fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, parsley, and basil demand precise timing. Woody herbs such as rosemary and thyme require sweating alongside the garlic to soften their fibrous leaves, whereas delicate basil and parsley must enter off the heat during the final five-minute rest to preserve volatile aromatic oils.
- Toss drained spaghetti immediately in olive oil to coat starch molecules and prevent sticking during sauce assembly.
- Simmer the sauce covered for thirty minutes to let the tomato solids hydrate fully.
- Stir the sauce frequently during the simmer phase to prevent scorching at the base of the pot.
