This Bolognese pasta from Carbone's chef is one of my favorite winter comfort dishes
- Mario Carbone is the chef behind the iconic Italian restaurant Carbone.
- He gave me the recipe for a Bolognese pasta that's perfect for chilly winter nights.
- The pappardelle covered in a comforting sauce was packed with tons of flavor.
Carbone is one of the hottest restaurants in New York City, and it's almost impossible to get a table.
But you don't need a reservation to whip up some of Mario Carbone's dishes at home.
I asked the chef to share some of his favorite recipes. And with winter in full swing, Carbone thought it'd be the perfect time to whip up his comforting Bolognese.
Here's how to make it.
To make Carbone's Bolognese for six, you'll need:
- Β½ pound ground beef
- Β½ pound ground pork or veal
- Β½ pound Italian sausage (out of casing)
Carbone told me he likes to add Italian sausage for his spin on the classic dish to give his Bolognese a "big pop of added flavor."
- 1 cup onion, diced
- Β½ cup celery, diced
- Β½ cup carrot, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 Β½ jars Carbone marinara sauce
- ΒΎ cup red wine
- Β½ cup chicken stock
- Β½ cup milk
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 Β½ tablespoons salt
- Β½ tablespoon thyme (chopped)
Carbone's recipe was developed with Carbone Fine Food to pair with one of the restaurant's sauces, which you can buy online and in grocery stores. Carbone's Bolognese features the marinara, but you can also try the tomato basil, roasted garlic, or arrabbiata.
If you don't have Carbone's sauce on hand, you can always opt for a similar marinara or just make your own. His sauce is made with Italian tomatoes (whole peeled tomatoes, tomato purΓ©e, sea salt, basil), along with onions, olive oil, sea salt, garlic, basil, crushed red pepper flakes, and oregano.
I diced my onion, carrots, and celery and set them aside.
I seared the ground beef over high heat for about three minutes, then drained it in my colander over a large bowl.
As with the ground beef, I drained the pork and sausage in the colander after they had browned in the Dutch oven.
I added half a tablespoon of salt and gave the meat a quick mix.
I constantly stirred my garlic and thyme for around two minutes over medium-low heat.
I seasoned my veggies with half a teaspoon of salt and cooked them over low heat for another 15 minutes, until they turned soft.
I covered the Dutch oven while everything cooked, making sure to stir the vegetables every few minutes.
First, I added the tomato paste and increased my stove to medium heat. I stirred constantly for two minutes to lightly cook the tomato paste, making sure it had completely mixed with the veggies.
Then, I poured the red wine into the Dutch oven and let it reduce until there wasn't much liquid left. I continued to stir often to ensure I didn't burn the wine and vegetables.
I stirred everything together as delicious scents began to fill up my kitchen.
I continued to cook everything for about 40 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
I added the milk and mixed everything together, allowing the sauce to simmer for another 10 minutes.
Carbone recommends using pappardelle for his bolognese recipe.
I removed the bay leaf and added another half tablespoon of salt to season everything.
Not letting the Bolognese sauce simmer too long is part of Carbone's twist on the classic dish.
"Usually, this recipe cooks all day," he told me. "But my style β which I find to be more Italian-American than true Emilia-Romagna style β leaves the meat with more texture, which reminds me of my childhood."
If you've made more sauce than you need for one dinner, Carbone said you can store the Bolognese in the fridge for up to five days.
You can also freeze it for longer, just make sure to use freezer-safe bags.
There's just something about a heaping bowl of thick pasta noodles in an even thicker sauce on a cold night. I instantly felt soothed as I admired the big bowl of pasta in front of me.
The bolognese took more time than many of the pasta recipes I usually prepare, but it smelled absolutely glorious.
Carbone's recipe has the deep richness you'd expect from a Bolognese but still tastes light despite featuring three different types of meat. The sauce has a lovely, mild sweetness that lifts the entire dish.
"The different flavors don't compete with each other; they build on each other," my mom said approvingly as she finished her plate.
"I could really seduce a man with this recipe," my sister added as she went for seconds.
Carbone's Bolognese was so comforting and soothing on a gloomy night. It's the perfect recipe to help us get through winter β plus, who doesn't love a good bowl of pasta?