spaghetti semi-bolognese

We were wandering around the grocery store this afternoon debating what to have for dinner. Mark suggested spaghetti bolognese. I decided that sounded good, then realized that the tomato sauce I usually make isn't actually a bolognese by any means. I started to explain this to Mark and was met with an increasingly glazed-over stare. His reply?

"How about this: you make something with meat and tomato that goes over pasta, and I'll eat it."

So, I did! I'm calling it semi-bolognese because I didn't put any cream in it, I didn't use celery in the sofrito, and I used a lot more tomato than a traditional bolognese.

I started with a "meatloaf mix" of ground pork, beef and veal. I browned it with some salt, pepper and garlic powder, then drained it and wiped out the pan. I added a tablespoon of butter to the pan, then sauteed a cup of chopped onion, a quarter of a cup of grated carrot, and a half a cup of chopped green pepper. When the veggies were soft, I added in two cloves of chopped garlic, and 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. I let the mixture cook down for about 2 minutes, then added about a quarter cup of white wine. This cooked down for another 2 minutes, then added a 28oz can of crushed tomatoes, two pinches of sugar, a pinch of salt, and the drained meat. I added a little dried oregano, dried thyme, and some chopped fresh parsley, then let the whole thing simmer until the spaghetti finished boiling. I served it with a spring-mix salad tossed with some extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.