When it's cold outside, nothing is as satisfying as comfort food. It's the simple, hearty, and familiar flavors that make bubbling casseroles and simmering soups so nourishing. Homemade bolognese sauce is the foundation of my family's favorite cozy dinner. It's a slow-cooked sauce that has layers of savory flavor and a rich, meaty texture. It takes patience to make but the reward is so much more delicious than any sauce you can pour from a jar.
According to Karen Frazier, a Tasting Table recipe developer and mixologist, there are lots of ways to incorporate bourbon into pasta dishes - from replacing the vodka in a vodka sauce to making a buttery bourbon and sage sauce or a mushroom bourbon pan sauce. Bourbon can also replace the wine that's used in a number of pasta dishes, including Bolognese - in the case of Bolognese, you can use bourbon instead of wine in a 1:1 ratio to deglaze the pan.
And part of leaning into it, for me anyway, involves covering up the backyard grill and getting reacquainted with my stovetop. On Monday afternoon, I decided the only dinner that could possibly match the vibe of the day was bolognese. I am a longtime fan of Ina Garten's "Weeknight Bolognese" recipe, but I admittedly find it more appropriate for weekends because I like to let it simmer for far longer than she recommends.
