Casarecce Bolognese

Casarecce Bolognese






​Prep Time: 25 Min
Cook Time: 2 + Hours

Yields: 4 +

WHAT YOU NEED

• 400g Casarecce Pasta
• 340g Impossible Beef
• 3 Tbsp. EVOO
• 3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
• 1 Red Onion, diced
• 1 Yellow Onion, diced
• 3 stalks Celery, diced
• 1 Large Carrot, peeled & diced
• 227g Cremini Mushrooms, diced
• 1 Zucchini, diced
• 5 sprigs Fresh Thyme, leaves removed
• Handful Fresh basil, torn
• 2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
• Splash Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 C White Wine
• 1 1/2 C PC Plant-Based Chikn Broth (Sub Vegetable Broth)
• 796ml Whole San Marzano Tomatoes
• 1/2 C Grana Padano, shredded
• 1/2 C Whipping Cream, room temperature 
• 1 x Hard Cheese Rind (optional)
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 Tsp. Italian Seasoning
• 1 Tsp. Dried Oregano
• 1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 Tsp. Onion Powder
• 1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Tsp. + Sea Salt
• Cracked Pepper
• Fresh Parsley & Basil - Garnish

NOTES

• If you cannot find Casarecce pasta, I'd recommend fusilli, farfalle, or ziti. You could also probably do penne if you had that on hand as well as any longer noodle which would be more traditional.
• I keep all of my old hard cheese rinds in a ziplock for when the time is right. They rarely need to be frozen because I'm always using them up. Keep your rinds and freeze them if you don't think you'll get to them in a timely manner. They add depth along with salty, nutty notes to whatever you add them to. Perfect for sauces and soups!

DIRECTIONS

• Begin heating a large, deep skillet set to about medium heat. Drop in the Impossible Beef and let it brown up, breaking it in to crumbles as it cooks. Once browned, remove it from the pan. Don't worry about any brown bits, we'll get those off!
• Add the EVOO, oregano, garlic, thyme leaves, and pepper flakes, stirring as they sizzle. Drop in the torn basil and stir for another 30 seconds. Add the yellow & red onion, celery, carrot, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and cook 6 - 7 minutes, reducing the heat if needed to avoid browning. Next, add the creminis and another pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and cook until mushrooms have cooked out most of their juices. Add the zucchini and another pinch of salt & pepper. Continue to cook until zucchinis are starting to go tender.​

• ​Stir in the tomato paste and let that cook for a minute or so. Pour in the wine and balsamic vinegar. Simmer until mostly reduced before adding the meat back to the skillet along with the broth & san marzano tomatoes, breaking them up a bit with your stirring utensil. Wait for the sauce to come to a boil and once boiled, stir in the bay leaf, hard cheese rind, Italian seasoning, garlic & onion powders, and 1/2 tsp. sea salt. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, adding water or broth if the sauce gets too thick. 
• Bring a large pot of cold, salted water to a boil. Once boiled add the pasta and cook to just about al dente. 
• Back to the sauce. Stir in the butter & room temperature cream. Wait for the sauce to come back to temperature before adding the pasta to the skillet along with any pasta water it brings along. Stir and continue to simmer until noodles are cooked to your liking. Remove from heat and add the grana padano along with a small ladleful of pasta water. Toss until creamy. Taste and adjust salt / pepper if desired. Remove bay leaf and rind prior to service.
• Serve garnished with fresh parsley & basil as well as a healthy dose of freshly grated grana padano. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG