Cheese Ravioli with Bolognese Sauce

Cheese Ravioli with Bolognese Sauce ~ is an elegant pasta dish that will definitely impress your family and friends!  Bolognese sauce is a mouthwatering hearty meat sauce made from scratch, combining chopped beef with chopped veal to create a very light and tasty meat sauce.

Then serve it over cheese ravioli to create a perfect dish!  You can use Bolognese Sauce over any favorite pasta or use it in your lasagna.

Cheese Ravioli with Bolognese Sauce can be served a first course or alone with crusty Italian bread and your favorite salad. Pair this dish with a glass of Chianti from Tuscany and you will have one delicious meal! This can be an all time favorite for any Holiday or when entertaining with friends.

As kids growing up,  it was normal for us to watch Mom cook a Sunday dinner for the entire family that usually started around 10 am and ended around 2 pm. Her staple dishes were always pasta with meatballs, or cheese ravioli with Bolognese sauce.  Through the years and still today, the family with all the grand kids look forward to grandma Maria Sunday dinners.

Enjoy your weekend! Happy Easter!

Cheese Ravioli with Bolognese Sauce

• 1 package of 24 Medium Square Cheese Ravioli – frozen or fresh
• Mom’s Bolognese Sauce  (about 2 + 1/2 qt.)
• Parmigiano-Reggiano grated cheese

 Mom’s Bolognese Sauce Recipe:

•  1/2 pound of chopped Veal
•  1/2 pound of chopped Beef
•  1 large onion – chopped
•  1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
•   2 Tbsp. (1/4 stick) butter
•  1 carrot – minced
•  1 celery stalk – minced
•  1/2 glass dry white wine
•  1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
•  5 fresh basil leaves
•  salt & pepper to taste

In a large sauce pot,  heat olive oil and butter.  Add onion and sauté for a  few minutes, or until onion is translucent and golden color.
Add celery and carrot and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add both chopped meats and stir while cooking to combine.  Continue to cook until the all the meat is light brown.
Add white wine.  Lower heat and simmer until all the wine is absorbed.

Place the entire can of crushed tomatoes into a blender and puree them.  Add the tomatoes and fresh basil leaves to the meat mixture.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt and some fresh ground pepper to taste.

Cover and simmer for 40 minutes to one hour.  Stir occasionally.  The sauce should be thick.  Taste the sauce for salt before serving, and adjust if needed.

Boil water in a large pot.  Add one teaspoon of salt to the water.  Add Ravioli and cook according to the directions on the package.  Strain into a colander.  Spoon about 4 to 5 ravioli into each pasta bowls.
Add some sauce on top.  Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!

Serves 6

Here’s a Tip:   Before freezing or refrigerate,  allow sauce to cool completely.  Then store sauce in air-tight containers to keep fresh (up to 3 days in refrigerator, or one month in your freezer).