Après Bolognese

I get really hungry when I ski, and one of my favorite post-ski meals is rooted in childhood memories.

Growing up, this was often dinner when Dad was traveling and Mom didn’t feel like cooking anything elaborate. Luckily, she always had a few containers of Bolognese stashed in the freezer, ready to go.

Make the sauce in large quantities, because trust me, the leftovers are worth it and will last a long time. It’s quick, easy, and dumping it over a bowl of spaghetti is a delicious way to carb up for a big day in the mountains, or stuff your face after scoring deep turns all day.

- MR

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of ground beef, pork, turkey, or a mix of two

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ medium white onion, finely chopped

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

• 1/4 bell pepper, chopped

• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped

• ½ cup mushrooms. finely chopped

• ½ medium zucchini, finely chopped

• 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes

• ½ cube or 1 Tbsp. chicken stock

• 1 tsp. salt, plus more to taste

• ¼ tsp. dried oregano

• ¼ tsp. dried rosemary

• Pinch cayenne pepper

• ½ tsp. black pepper

• 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar or ¼ cup of any red wine

• ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated, for serving

• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped, for serving

• 1 lb. box pasta of your choice (we like tagliatelle or spaghetti)

Directions:

1. Heat a large saucepan to medium with olive oil. (Or make the sauce in an Instant Pot pressure cooker, cooking for 10 minutes on high pressure)

2. Add onions and garlic, then add meat and stir evenly to brown, along with ¼ teaspoon of salt.

3. Add bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, and carrot, cook for 10 minutes with lid, stirring occasionally.

4. Add tomatoes and remainder of spices, including balsamic vinegar/red wine.

5. Cook the sauce on low for 50-60 minutes stirring occasionally. If you can wait longer, it’s worth it. This sauce only gets better the longer it cooks!

6. Ladle sauce over your favorite pasta and serve with freshly-grated parmesan and fresh basil.