with Chef Robert Larios
Photography by Patricia M. Larios
Famous people have on occasion credited pasta for their successes. The only success I can guarantee is a full stomach after eating a big bowl of this pasta – dressed with a rich ground beef sauce cooked with carrots, cream cheese, butter, parsley and Parmesan for an impressive ragù Bolognese sauce.
¡Buen provecho!
Cavatappi Beef Ragù Bolognese
(with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Italian parsley)
Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Drain.
Step 2
Trim, peel and finely chop carrot. Pick parsley leaves from stems; roughly chop leaves. While cavatappi cooks, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add carrot; cook, stirring, until browned and tender, 6-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Increase heat under pan to medium high and add another drizzle of olive oil. Push carrot to one side of pan. Add beef to empty side. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring until beef is cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir carrot and beef together to combine.
Step 4
Stir in marinara and 1/3 cup water (½ cup for 4 servings). Reduce to a simmer and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream cheese until thoroughly combined. Add drained cavatappi, 1 tbsp. butter, and half the chopped parsley; stir until pasta is warmed through, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 5 [(013.jpg) (014.jpg)]
Divide pasta between bowls. Top with Parmesan and remaining chopped parsley.
Serve.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Drain.
Step 2
Trim, peel and finely chop carrot. Pick parsley leaves from stems; roughly chop leaves. While cavatappi cooks, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add carrot; cook, stirring, until browned and tender, 6-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Increase heat under pan to medium high and add another drizzle of olive oil. Push carrot to one side of pan. Add beef to empty side. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring until beef is cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir carrot and beef together to combine.
Step 4
Stir in marinara and 1/3 cup water (½ cup for 4 servings). Reduce to a simmer and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream cheese until thoroughly combined. Add drained cavatappi, 1 tbsp. butter, and half the chopped parsley; stir until pasta is warmed through, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 5 [(013.jpg) (014.jpg)]
Divide pasta between bowls. Top with Parmesan and remaining chopped parsley.
Serve.
Enjoy!
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Food Lover’s Dictionary Cavatappi [kah-vah-TAHP-pee]: Short, narrow, ripple-edged shell pasta. Bibliography: Copyright Barron’s Educational Services, Inc. 2009, adapted from The New Food Lover’s Companion, 2007, by Sharon Tyler Herbst and Ron Herbst. |
Cooking Tidbit: You may use a combination of extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil (up to a combination of 3 teaspoons if not using butter).
Food Quote: “If kids can learn how to make a simple Bolognese sauce, they will never go hungry. It’s pretty easy to cook pasta, but a good sauce is way more useful.”
– Emeril Lagasse
