Did you guys catch the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy last night? 17 minutes into the finale, I was seriously bawling my eyes out. That was quickly followed by anger, annoyance, and frustration. I won’t really get into the details of it since I know there are some people who haven’t watched it yet but let’s just say that this episode was quite a shocker. It wasn’t as crazy as last year’s finale with the shooter and all but it definitely wasn’t something that I expected. Let’s just leave it at that. I’m still in shock from the whole thing.

Moving on to something more pleasant…

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So this was my first time making and actually trying bolognese sauce, and I’m happy to report back that it was the best experience of my life. I mean it’s predominantly a super meaty spaghetti sauce without much of the sauce. It’s genius, really. As I was inhaling this dish, I kept thinking, “Where has this been my entire life?!”

I was particularly fond of this recipe because of the addition of non-traditional ingredients, like the cloves and cinnamon. These spices gave a nice kick at the end of each bite with its very subtle sweetness, and the over-the-top meatiness just sends you to the moon. Best of all, it’s so easy to make and it feeds an army, which makes it perfect for batch cooking or when having guests over so you don’t have to kill yourself over the stove while everyone else is having the time of their lives. Oh and btw, you should know that waiting the 90 minutes for this to simmer is absolute torture as it fills the house with the most amazing, meaty goodness smell. I can’t tell you how many times I stuck my nose near the opening of the Dutch oven to get a big whiff.

Bolognese Sauce with Cloves and Cinnamon (adapted from gas•tron•o•my):

Yields 6 servings

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 6-8 cloves
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
  • Cooked spaghetti, for serving
  • Grated Parmesan, for serving

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat. Add the garlic and saute until the edges are golden, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, to taste.

Add the beef and cook until browned, about 5-10 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks.  Season with salt, to taste. (A potato masher works really well for this.)

Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, cinnamon sticks and cloves.

Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, with lid slightly ajar until sauce has thickened, about 90-120 minutes.

Stir in the parsley.

Serve immediately with spaghetti noodles, garnished with Parmesan and parsley.

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