Meaty meat sauce is important to me. Why? Because I raised three boys and this is what they preferred in their pasta sauce. Lots of meat and make that thick. And, this meaty meat sauce had to also have certain flavors, some ingredients had to be masked (like onions) and textures. And, I wanted all of this plus I didn't want to have to wait hours to have it ready to serve. So, this quick and easy sauce, made in about seventy-five minutes, is pretty amazing.
You'll see probably an ingredient in this recipe that you don't typically associate with bolognese. And, that's anchovy paste. Now before you start thinking, it's gonna have a fishy taste, what you're going to see is that anchovy paste simply adds flavor to so many things. Yes, it's an oftentimes overlooked flavor enhancer! It's great in savory dishes, and you need only a small amount, because it hits on that sixth taste bud, umami! So, if you want to boost the flavor of something, whether it's soup, stew, a rubbing base, or in this recipe, bolognese, then give the anchovy paste a chance!
Another nutrient booster in this recipe that you might not expect, V8 juice! Yep, you're gonna get full servings of vegetables with juice added. And, you decide is you want regular or spicy V8. When you're making this, you might want to double the recipe and freeze some for later uses. It's a great base for pizza, as a chili base, lasagna, hot dog chili, tacos and more. I'm banking on you loving it! xoxo ~ally
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
- 1 (heaping) Tbl. Anchovy paste
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. coarse ground pepper
- ½ tsp. red chili flakes
- ½ cup pepperoni, diced, packed
- 1 lb. Italian ground pork
- 1 lb. grassfed ground beef
- ¾ cup basil pesto
- 1 cup parmesan, grated + more for garnish
- 2 cups V8 juice
- 1 can (28 oz.) San Marzano crushed tomatoes + 2 cups of pasta water reserved
- ½ cup fresh basil, garnish, chiffonade sliced
Instructions
Notes
