This is my version of a Bolognese Sauce. My husband is not a fan of super tangy marinara sauce, so this is a better pasta sauce for him. The addition of carrots sweetens and mellows out the flavor of the tomato sauce.  Bolognese sauce usually includes celery with the carrots, but I don’t like celery, so I substitute parsley.

Regarding the tomatoes, you can us whole, peeled tomatoes in juice, or else you can use the same amount of crushed tomatoes, tomato puree. You just want a plain tomato product that is not stewed and not concentrated. I like to use the whole tomatoes, and just break them up with a spoon in the pot as I stir, so that there is a bit of texture left to the sauce.

We served it over penne.

The penne was one of those that are made with vegetables, so it actually is reddish-orange, that is not a weird effect of the camera.

 
Bolognese Sauce

1 lb ground veal (or veal)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, chopped,
6 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
28 ounces whole peeled tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes, or tomato puree) in tomato juice
½ cup water
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar

Heat 2 Tablespoons of oil, add onions and cook on medium-high 1 minute, then add carrots, garlic, and parsley.

Cook on high 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium, add a dash of salt, and cover cook for a further 5 minutes to allow the sweat out the ingredients. The onions should be translucent and soft, and the carrots should start to soften.

Add veal, stirring over high heat for 2-3 minutes, then lower heat to medium and cook 10 minutes.

Add canned tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Add tomato paste, water, and sugar. Allow to come to a boil again, then reduce heat, cover,  and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour.

 

 

And these are Little Miss’s fingers – she couldn’t wait until I got the food on the table ?

 

Note – if you like a spicy pasta sauce, you could add crushed red pepper flakes with the tomato paste.