Simple Bolognese For Grownups and Babies
Author Notes: This is not a true Bolognese (which traditionally contains milk), but a simpler version that's also quite versatile. You can use pretty much any type of ground meat as long as it is not too lean. Serve half of it for dinner, and save the rest for the baby! - merrill
Serves 4 as a main course, baby for several days
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef (I prefer 85% lean -- you can also use lamb, chicken, turkey or pork)
- Pinch salt (optional)
- 1 fat garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 28 ounces canned peeled tomatoes
- Heat a deep, heavy saucepan over a medium-high flame. When the pan is hot, add the oil, and then the meat and the salt if using. Brown the meat well, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Once the meat is browned, lower the heat to medium-low and add the garlic. Cook for a minute or two, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and just starts to turn golden.
- Add the tomatoes and their juices and crush them gently with a potato masher or the back of your spoon. When the sauce starts to boil, turn the heat to low so it's just simmering, and cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender, the tomatoes have broken down, and the sauce has thickened, about 2 hours (longer if you have the time). Let it cool slightly, and serve with pastine or couscous.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
Tags: baby food, cooking for clara



4 days ago irishchef
I know you said this is "not a true Bolognese sauce" but when you call a classic dish by name & then change it; it is no longer that classic dish. Like if you add garlic to Alfredo sauce it is no longer Alfredo sauce. Please change the name. Classic Bolognese is so different and so much better than this. This sauce will give tasters the wrong impression. I don't mean to be a prude but being a chef I don't want to give people (especially one who may have never had the Delicious Classic Italian dish) a dish that may or may not taste like the Classic. Sorry, maybe try Mock Bolognese.
24 days ago Toots Mcgee
just dont have kids
24 days ago Scallionboy
Exactly. Baby food.
7 months ago Monica Strasen
There are brands that are now canning tomatoes in BPA free cans, but you do have to do your homework to find them. Some brands also have tomatoes in glass containers.
7 months ago Haninay
Canned tomatoes are high in BPA, which is banned in infant products. I would absolutely NOT feed this to infants.
7 months ago merrill
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
There are plenty of brands of canned tomatoes that do not use BPAs in their packaging: http://livingmaxwell.com.... And of course, there is always Pomi, which doesn't use cans at all.