Pappardelle bologn(anything but)ese.

Cold, dark winter nights mean cooking things low and slow...my Dutch oven gets a lot of action this time of year. There's something wonderful about stirring and seasoning a heavy pot for hours, having its contents perfume your entire house (it's easier in a studio apartment) all day and ensuring savory dreams at night. Cooking low and slow doesn't have to mean everything tastes dark and heavy though -- my favorite stews and braises have a little brightness added at the end or upon serving: a little lemon zest, a sharp cheese, fresh herbs added at the last minute. The key thing is just not to rush any part of the process. Trust me, it'll pay off. What's your favorite winter comfort food?

Last weekend I modified a tasty looking Anne Burrell recipe for a bolognese sauce. While not difficult, it's definitely a more time-consuming recipe. I added some bacon for a twist, and I drizzled my pasta with some white truffle oil and served over a nice eggy pappardelle. Maybe it took a few hours in the vicinity of my kitchen, but it was well worth it (and lasted over quite a few meals). You slowly cook down the flavor bases, browned meat, and wine, stirring in water ever so gradually (I like to think of it as kind of a meat risotto, where you're cooking meat instead of rice) and developing gorgeous, rich, brown flavors. Thyme adds a lovely herbal note, and the truffle oil instantly blooms when it hits the hot bed of pasta. It's a labor of love, but it's love for sure in the end.

Note: if you're not eating it all right away (however tempting), keep the sauce separate and only cook as much pasta as you need. Delicate pastas reheated are pretty dry and crunchy (though spaghetti holds up pretty well). You always want to mix the hot sauce with freshly cooked pasta so the flavors marry nicely, so if you must keep leftovers, toss all the noodles with the right amount of sauce (while hot!) before refrigerating.

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Pappardelle Bolognese
(Adapted from Anne Burrell)

1 large onion or 2 small, cut into 1" dice

2 large carrots, cut into 1/2" dice

3 ribs celery, cut into 1" dice

4 cloves garlic

Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan

Kosher salt

3-4 strips bacon, cut into lardons

3 lb ground beef (recommend 80/20)

2 c tomato paste

3 c red wine (a Cabernet Sauvignon works just fine)

Water

3 bay leaves

1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle

1 lb pappardelle or other long noodle

White truffle oil or finishing olive oil for drizzling

In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste (if you, like me, don't have a food processor, you can also finely grate the vegetables or use an immersion blender). In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, coat with oil. Add the pureed veggies and season generously with salt. Bring the pot to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15-20 minutes. Remove vegetables from pan, reduce heat to medium, and add bacon, rendering out the fat. Remove bacon, turn heat back to medium high, and add ground beef, seasoning again with salt. Brown the beef (and, as always, resist the temptation to poke too much).

Add the tomato paste and cook about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes. Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat. Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates you will gradually need to add more, about 2 to 3 cups at a time. Don't be shy about adding water during the cooking process, you can always cook it out. (If you try to add all the water in the beginning you will have boiled meat sauce rather than a rich, thick meaty sauce.) Stir and taste frequently. Season with salt, if needed (you probably will). Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the pasta. Salt water well and cook for 1 minute less than package directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Toss pasta, water, and sauce (still on the heat) until well mixed/liquid has reduced. Drizzle your portion with truffle oil, and serve.