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The classic, ultra-rich Bolognese sauce takes hours of gentle simmering, which means that, for many, it's a weekend dish only. Here's a lighter weekday variation, made in about the time it takes to cook pasta or polenta. The marinara sauce (or pureed tomato) is merely a background note; it shouldn't take over the sauce.

Chef's Note: I prefer this Bolognese sauce on fresh pasta, preferably on a wide noodle like pappardelle or the somewhat slimmer fettuccine, but dried pasta is also okay. I also love the sauce stirred into risotto or spooned over a bowl of creamy polenta.

Ingredients:

Serves 4

1/4-oz. dried porcini
1/2-cup warm water
6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2-cup chopped onion
1 Tbs.minced garlic
1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1/2-lb. ground veal
1/4-lb. ground pork
sea salt, preferably Gray salt, and freshly ground black pepper
1/3-cup dry white wine
3/4-cup veal stock or Chicken Stock
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1/2-cup Marinara Sauce or tomato puree
2 Tbs. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnishing

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, rehydrate the porcini in the ½ cup warm water for 30 minutes.
   
2. Lift the porcini out with a slotted spoon and chop finely.
   
3. Strain the liquid through a double thickness of damp paper towels to catch any grit.
   
4. Reserve the porcini and liquid separately.
   
5. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat.
   
6. Add the onion and sauté gently until softened, about 5 minutes. Do not let them color.
   
7. Add the garlic and rosemary and sauté briefly to release their fragrance.
   
8. Add the veal and pork and cook, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon, until it begins to evenly caramelize.
   
9. Season it with salt and pepper.
   
10. Add the porcini and cook until any moisture evaporates and the meat begins to sizzle.
    
11. Raise the heat to moderately high, add the wine and 2 Tbs. reserved porcini liquid, and cook for 1-2 minutes to evaporate the liquid.
    
12. Add the stock and parsley and simmer briskly for 2 minutes.
    
13. Add the Marinara Sauce or tomato puree, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook for 3-4 minutes to blend the flavors.
    
14. Hold warm for service or the sauce can be cooled then refrigerated for up to three days.

Copyright NapaStyle, Inc. 2003 by M. Chiarello, D. Shalleck