the finished product
Well, the months of November through January really kicked my ass. And by kicked my ass, I mean made my ass grow. And my belly. And my chin(s). It’s time for a serious detox. Which is why, for the month of February (aka the shortest month of the year), I am going to cut out dairy and processed carbs. I’m not doing Whole30 because I love alcohol and truvia and diet coke, but I am going to try and start eating way healthier. So, before I started this healty eating (it’s literally been less than 6 hours), I made some delicious pork Bolognese for dinner while it was still January. It doesn’t suck, and serves about 6, with some definite leftovers. Wish me luck without my favorite food groups this month. I don’t know if I’ll make it. **UPDATE: I made it til exactly 8:15 before I messed up….I went to give my babe cheerios and tasted a few to make sure they weren’t stale. I spit them out, so it doesn’t count, but Crawdad definitely is claiming an early victory. Damnit. Anyways—here’s the recipe! If you have any non dairy, non carb recipes, hit me up @ thewifewithaknife@gmail.com. Also-please excuse the less than stellar pics…I must have eaten my camera, because I can’t seem to locate it.
For the pork Bolognese and pasta…
- 5 lbs. ground pork
- 1 tsp. garlic salt
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 10 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 large cans San Marzano crushed tomatoes
- 8 basil leaves, chopped
- 1 lb. whole wheat gemelli pasta (fusilli if they don’t have gemelli)
For the whipped ricotta…
- 1 container of low fat ricotta cheese (usually 15oz)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tbs. heavy cream
- Squeeze of lemon juice
In a large skillet on medium heat, brown the ground pork for 5 minutes, stirring in the seasonings (garlic salt, pepper, crushed red pepper). It’s ok if the pork isn’t cooked through-it will cook more as the sauce simmers. Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil in a larger stock pot or Dutch oven until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the red wine, and cook for 5 minutes, until the wine has reduced almost all the way. Add in the crushed tomatoes, ground pork and basil and simmer on lowest setting for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. If you have a crock pot, you can put the sauce in there and cook for 4 hours on low (I’d recommend this way). Cook your pasta according to the directions on the box, cooking times varies for different brands. While your pasta is cooking, combine all the ingredients for the whipped ricotta in a bowl and either whip by hand or with a hand mixer until all the ingredients are combined. You will definitely have leftover ricotta mixture, which you can add spices to and make a yummy dip with later in the week! Top the pasta with your sauce and garnish with a spoonful of whipped ricotta. Enjoy!
