On Goodness: Weeknight Bolognese
The Barefoot Contessa is all about the "good" stuff. What does that mean? And who decides?
Welcome back! I took a break last week to enjoy Independence Day in Cape May with my boyfriend’s family. I always have a blast with them, especially when we’re cooking by inspiration in their spacious kitchen. For our Fourth of July BBQ dinner, I riffed on the Barefoot Contessa’s Mac & Cheese (nixed the tomato and breadcrumbs, swapped Gruyere for grocery-store cheddar and colby jack, and added chipotle seasoning to match the show-stopping smoked brisket). I took zero photos. Some content creator I am.
Anyway, I am back in Manhattan, sweltering in the concrete jungle. As another heat wave rolls through the Northeast, I’m pivoting to a new mini-series on this project: “Too Hot To Cook July”. This month, I’ll revisit some tried-and-true recipes and reflect on the memories they evoke, without firing up the stove. These are the dishes I come back to time and time again, and I hope you’ll love them as much as I do.
And if you have better air flow in your kitchen, go right ahead, rev up those burners and get cookin’! Be sure to tell me if you do.
“You decide what’s right. You decide what’s good.”
-Stephen Sondheim, Into the Woods
It might be the Barefoot Contessa’s most famous qualifier: the good stuff. Good butter, good chocolate, good mayonnaise, good vinegar. What does that mean? And who decides?
In Ina’s own words, a “good” product may not be the most expensive or rare. She advises selecting the highest-quality ingredient in your price range. “Good” does not mean inaccessible. “Good” is about evaluating your options and making the best selection available.
Sometimes, that means working with what you have. In 2020, Ina re-shared her famous Weeknight Bolognese recipe with special tips to modify for pandemic-limited home kitchens. If you don’t have premium ground sirloin, San Marzano tomatoes, or—yes—the good olive oil, make it work with what you’ve got.
Every time I make Weeknight Bolognese, I experiment with each grade of ingredient, from store-brand tomatoes to the prescribed San Marzanos, cheap ground beef to premium sirloin. At the end of the day, it always turns out great, but choosing good ingredients elevates a simple meal in a subtle yet impactful way.
Part of any home cook’s journey is deciding what’s worth it, not just in terms of money, but also of time and effort. Is it worth paying extra for real Kerrygold when the store-brand salted butter is half the price? Is it worth trekking to the store across town for specialty items when your neighborhood grocery has a fine substitute? Is it worth the work of emulsifying mayo or salad dressings from scratch? (I’d say yes to all this; you might disagree!)
Ultimately, your means are valuable. These are your resources to expend. Choose the expenditures that bring you comfort and joy, that feel worthwhile, that make life just a bit better. That’s your decision; make it with care.
Ina’s wisdom tells us that whatever choice we make is perfectly fine, but that thoughtful decisions can make pure good. You, dear reader, deserve so much better than fine. So, whenever you can, choose the good.
This recipe can be found on the Barefoot Contessa Website, in the cookbook How Easy Is That?, and on her television show Barefoot Contessa: Modern Comfort Food (Season 5, Episode 3, “Buon Appetito”), which is streaming on HBO Max.
As the name implies, Weeknight Bolognese comes together relatively quickly, a reliable choice when you have limited time to get dinner together after work. Authentic it is not (the nonnas of Bologna would blanch at the use of heavy cream!), but delicious it sure is.
Over the years, I’ve made this sauce using a variety of cookware. Your best bet is a wide, deep non-stick skillet, like this one from Cuisinart. (I tried it recently in my beloved Le Creuset dutch oven, and found the heat retention of the enameled cast iron was less than ideal.) Any large saucepan or pot will work, as long as it’s large and deep enough to contain the recipe yield.
A slight variation: I suggest adding the tomato paste along with your garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes to give the dense, flavorful paste a chance to cook off. Then follow the recipe as written, deglaze with a cup of red wine and add the crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper. (For the wine, I recommend a nice Montepulciano d’Abruzzo—then save the rest of the bottle to enjoy with dinner!)
A word on shapes. If you are in the camp that all pasta shapes taste the same, I am not in the business of changing your mind, and I cannot tell you how to live your life. But a robust, meaty sauce like this needs a noodle that can handle it. Ina suggests orecchiette or shells; I’ve had great results with rigatoni or lumache (a.k.a. “shellbows”). If you prefer a long nood, aim for a full-bodied pappardelle.
This recipe will yield enough for four to six servings. If you have leftovers, I recommend freezing the sauce in portion sizes, then defrosting and serving over fresh-made pasta at a later date. (Don’t try to freeze already-cooked pasta, it never goes well.) Adding fresh toppings like grated Parmesan and basil leaves will make the defrosted sauce taste good as new!
Some useful tools for this recipe:
Premium Microplane
I use this, without exaggeration, every day. For this recipe, it’s a great (grate?) tool for your Parm and garlic. Just watch your fingers!Kunovo Wooden Spatula
Ina specifically suggests a wooden spoon to break up browning meat. I prefer one with a flat edge like this. Be sure to hand-wash with care!OXO Good Grips Angled Measuring Cup Set
These cups are angled for easy reading from the top or side. I used the smallest size to measure out the wine and cream for this recipe.
Souper Cubes
Once a Shark Tank darling, these molds can freeze leftover soups, sauces or servings in perfect portions. I find one cup is a good amount for one serving of Bolognese.
For more kitchen tools I can’t live without, visit my website!
Thank you for joining me for another delicious installment! Please be sure to get in touch if you try any of these recipes or if there’s any Barefoot Contessa creations you’d love to see. It’s been a joy sharing this project with you!
Until next time,
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