Bolognese with gluten-free Garlic Toasted Onion Pasta

Bolognese is a traditional Italian dish that can be found at many restaurants.  It offers delicious flavors with only a few ingredients, and the only difficult part about the recipe is waiting.  More often than not, this dish is made with canned tomatoes.  However, with it still being cheap fesh vegetable season, I decided to write this recipe with fresh tomatoes.

The two keys this recipe are patience and stirring.  I can't emphasize enough how important it is to stir this every time you walk past when it is cooking.  If the sauce gets burnt to the bottom of the pan, it will most likely ruin the sauce.  You don't need to stand over the pot the entire time it is cooking, but just keep an eye on it as it cooks.

Ingredients:    Servings - 3-4
1 - 12oz package, Pastamore Gluten-Free Garlic Toasted Onion Pasta
1/2 lb - ground beef
1/4 lb - onion
1/8 lb - celery
1/8 lb - carrot
2 lb - tomatoes
1 cup - water
1/2 Tbsp - Pastamore Traditional Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar
(Optional) 1 Tbsp - Olive oil
1 - bay leaf
As needed - 
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1.  Mince the onion, celery, and the carrots.  This can be done by hand, or it can be done quickly and easily with a food processor.  Dice the tomatoes into 1/4" x 1/4" pieces.  Place to the side.

2.  Place a large pot on the stove over medium-high heat.  Once the pan is hot, add the ground beef.  Cook until the ground beef has been browned.

3.  Add the mirepoix (onions, carrots, and celery) to the pot.  Sweat the vegetables until the onion begins to become translucent.  If the mirepoix is becoming brown, reduce the heat to medium.  If the vegetables are sticking to the pot, use enough olive oil to keep them from sticking to the pot.  Stir often.

4.  Once the vegetables have been sweat, add the tomatoes to the pot.  Cook the tomatoes until they have broken down almost all the way.  Add the Pastamore Traditional Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar, bay leaf, and water.  Stir well.  Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. 

5.  The sauce will need to simmer for approximately 45 minutes.  During this time, season the sauce to taste with salt and black pepper.  The longer the sauce cooks the better the flavor will be.  If the sauce is too thin cook it longer, and if the sauce is too thick add more water.  Stir often.

6.  When the sauce is around 15 minutes away from being finished, place a large pot of water on the stove (minimum 1 gallon).  Bring the water to a boil.  Once boiling, add the Pastamore Garlic Toasted Onion Pasta.  Cook until the pasta has reached al dente, and then rinse extremely well.
 
7.  Plate the pasta, and then top with the Bolognese.  Finish the plate with fresh grated Parmesan cheese, and serve.