Extra tomato Bolognese

Slow-Cooked Garden Tomato Bolognese

Makes: 8–10 servings (about 9 cups)
Active time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 3½–4½ hours

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Ingredients

Soffritto

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion (about 12 oz), finely diced
• 2 medium carrots, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Meat

• 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (85–90% lean)
• ½ lb (225 g) ground pork or mild Italian sausage (casings removed)

Flavorings

• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, etc.)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Parmesan rind (optional, but highly recommended)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Tomatoes

• 5 lb ripe Celebrity tomatoes (about 10–12 medium tomatoes)
• Remove the cores.
• Roughly chop into 1-inch pieces.
• Do not peel them.

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Instructions

Step 1 – Build the soffritto

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat.

Add the onion, carrots, celery, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.

Cook gently for 18–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The vegetables should become soft and sweet without browning.

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Step 2 – Brown the meat

Increase the heat to medium.

Add the beef and pork.

Break the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon.

Cook until no pink remains and some browned bits develop, about 10–12 minutes.

If there's an excessive amount of fat, spoon off a little, but leave a few tablespoons for flavor.

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Step 3 – Tomato paste and garlic

Add the garlic.

Cook for 30 seconds.

Stir in the tomato paste.

Cook another 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens to a rusty brick-red color.

This caramelization adds a lot of depth.

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Step 4 – Deglaze with wine

Pour in the white wine.

Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 5–8 minutes.

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Step 5 – Add the milk

Pour in the milk.

Simmer gently until it is almost completely absorbed.

This usually takes 10–15 minutes.

The milk softens the acidity of the tomatoes and gives the finished sauce its characteristic richness.

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Step 6 – Add the tomatoes

Stir in:

• Chopped tomatoes
• Bay leaves
• Parmesan rind (if using)
• Several grinds of black pepper

The pot will look very watery.

That's exactly what you want.

Fresh tomatoes release a lot of liquid.

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Step 7 – Slow simmer

Bring just to a gentle bubble.

Reduce the heat to the lowest setting.

Cook uncovered for 3½–4½ hours.

Stir every 20–30 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot.

The transformation is gradual:

• First hour: watery
• Second hour: tomatoes collapse
• Third hour: sauce thickens noticeably
• Fourth hour: rich, glossy, deeply flavored

If it thickens too quickly, add ¼–½ cup water.

If it's still loose after 4 hours, simply keep cooking.

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Step 8 – Finish

Remove the bay leaves and Parmesan rind.

Taste.

Add salt until the flavors pop (usually another 1–2 teaspoons kosher salt, depending on your tomatoes and cheese).

Finish with freshly ground black pepper.

If the tomato skins are still more noticeable than you'd like, use an immersion blender for 2–3 quick pulses—just enough to break them up while leaving plenty of texture. I don't usually find this necessary with Celebrity tomatoes after a long simmer.

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Serving

Toss with:

• Tagliatelle (traditional)
• Pappardelle
• Fettuccine
• Rigatoni
• Pappardelle

Serve with:

• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Chopped parsley
• Crusty bread
• A simple green salad

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Freezing

Let the sauce cool completely.

Freeze in:

• 2-cup containers (2–3 servings)
• Quart freezer bags laid flat

Keeps well for 4–6 months.

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Notes for Celebrity Tomatoes

• Because Celebrity tomatoes are juicier than paste tomatoes, don't seed them—the juice contributes a lot of flavor.
• If your tomatoes are exceptionally ripe and sweet, you probably won't need any sugar.
• If they taste a little sharp after cooking (which can happen early in the season), stir in 1 teaspoon of butter at the end rather than adding sugar. It rounds out the acidity without making the sauce taste sweet.

Optional upgrade: Roast half the tomatoes

If you don't mind an extra step, roast half of the chopped tomatoes on a sheet pan at 425°F (220°C) with a drizzle of olive oil for about 40 minutes, until they have browned edges. Add the roasted tomatoes along with the remaining fresh ones in Step 6.

This gives you the best of both worlds: the fresh brightness of garden tomatoes and the deeper, almost canned-tomato richness that develops from roasting. It's my favorite version when using abundant summer tomatoes.