Sunny Anderson's Clever Trick To Speed Up Bolognese

Thanks to Sunny Anderson's clever trick, Bolognese doesn't have to be reserved for Sunday dinner. This classic ragu is traditionally comprised of onions, carrots, celery, ground beef, and pancetta, braised in wine, tomatoes, and chicken stock, and generally requires a slow simmer that takes at least three hours to prepare. It is a real time commitment to build up all that flavor, and it is tough to pull off on an activity-filled week. But, on an episode of Food Network's "The Kitchen," Anderson takes an unconventional approach that uses flame-grilled beef and onion hamburger patties you can find in the frozen food section of your grocery store for the meaty protein along with pizza sauce.

Italians may have stopped reading at this point, but there is sound reasoning to her process. Anderson explains that using pre-cooked, thawed hamburger patties and crumbling them up for the meat, eliminates the vigilant, continuous stirring of the meat as it cooks. It's also well-seasoned and flavorful. Her peers on the show concur that using this flame-grilled beef is a smart move that gives the Bolognese the feeling of being slow-cooked all day.

Read more: 44 Types Of Pasta And When You Should Be Using Them

Nutmeg Is Key

Anderson explains that the jarred pizza sauce already contains all the flavors you are hoping to build up in the ragu as it simmers, which makes it the perfect sauce to use when you are in a hurry. She uses a little chicken stock to "loosen" the viscosity of the pizza sauce and adds some cream to balance out the tart flavor. To make her Bolognese feel homemade, Anderson reveals she adds a "pinch" of nutmeg. It comes together so quickly that it might become your new weekday go-to that will impress your family and friends.

When it comes to the noodles you pair this sauce with, you need something hearty. Anderson uses pappardelle, but a traditional tagliatelle, fettuccine, spaghetti, or even penne pasta will work with this rich ragu. Whatever you do, don't forget the grated parmesan. The cheese will thicken the sauce and add its savory and nutty deliciousness, making this easy rendition taste even better.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.