Oh Giada, what a wonderful treat it was to have a bowl of this delicious bolognese and pasta. Not only are the flavors beautiful, the aromas…divine! This dish was easy to put together and on a cold winter evening definitely hit the spot. I did not modify this recipe in any way – it’s great just the way it is.

In this recipe, I’m going to highlight celery. The benefits of celery begin with it being an excellent source of antioxidants and beneficial enzymes, in addition to vitamins and minerals such as vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin B6. What is interesting besides its known benefit of aiding with weight loss is that celery is known to reduce arthritic pain, something that I can relate to. You really need to take a look at this link about the benefits of celery to truly appreciate what a phenomenal vegetable this is.

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped

• 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped

• 1 carrot, coarsely chopped

• 1 lb ground chuck beef

• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

• 1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, chiffonade

• 8 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano (optional)

  1. In a 6 quart pot, add extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the onion and garlic and saute over medium heat until the onions become very soft, about 8 minutes.
  2. Add the celery and carrot and saute for 5 minutes. Raise heat to high and add the ground beef. Saute, stirring frequently and breaking up any large lumps and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
  3. Add the tomatoes, parsley and basil and cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1/2 hour.
  4. Finish bolognese with Pecorino Romano. Check for seasoning.

In a 6 quart pot, add extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the onion and garlic and saute over medium heat until the onions become very soft, about 8 minutes. Add the celery and carrot and saute for 5 minutes. Raise heat to high and add the ground beef. Saute, stirring frequently and breaking up any large lumps and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley and basil and cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1/2 hour. Finish bolognese with Pecorino Romano. Check for seasoning.