Recipe:
Whole Wheat Turkey Bolognese
By Chef Robert Fair
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup E.V.O.O.
- 1 large yellow onion (small dice)
- 8 cloves of garlic (crushed)
- 4 tblspns of Tomato Paste
- 1 cup of red wine
- 3/4 lbs ground turkey
- 1 12 0z. can of whole peeled tomatoes (blended)
- 1 tblspn. dried basil
- 1/2 tblspn. dried oregano
- 1 bunch of fresh basil (thinly sliced)
- 1 wedge Parmesan reggiano
- 1 lb. of Whole Wheat Spaghetti
Directions:
Place a high-sided saucepan on the stove and turn the heat on high. Add the E.V.O.O. to the pan and wait about 15 seconds. Once your oil is hot (just before its smoking point) add your onions to the pan. Using a heat-tempered spatula, incorporate the onions with the oil so that it is evenly coated. Add about a pinch of salt to your onions, this will speed up the cooking process, by helping to remove the water onions. Cook onions until translucent.
Once the onions are translucent, add your garlic to the pan. Toss thoroughly with heat-tempered spatula to incorporate. Let cook on high for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When the garlic is just slightly golden brown and fragrant, add the tomato paste to the pan. Incorporate the paste with the hot oil, onions, and garlic and allow to cook stirring occasionally for about 3minutes.
Add the wine to the pan and incorporate into your mixture with the spatula. Allow the paste to fully absorb the red wine, then add in your turkey meat. Incorporate thoroughly.
Cook the ground turkey meat for about 10 minutes, stirring often to allow it to cook evenly.
Once the turkey meat is fully cooked, add in the blended 12oz can of tomatoes. Incorporate thoroughly.
Allow the sauce to cook at a steady simmer for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
While your sauce is simmering, place a large saucepot on the stove filled ¾ of the way full with water. Add ¼ olive oil to the pot, plus, enough kosher sea salt to make the water taste like to ocean. Place top on the pot and bring to a boil.
Once the water has reached a boil, add the entire box of pasta to the water and cover to bring back to a boil. Once you have again reached a boil, remove the let and continue to cook.
Cook the pasta about 7-8 minutes or until al dente (meaning, still slightly tough on the inside) remove from the pot and strain sauce from the sauce pan, and put it at the bottom of the sauce pot. Add all of the strained pasta to the pot and cover with the remaining sauce.
Add in 1 cup of shaved Parmesan reggiano and the ¾ of the thinly sliced basil. Toss all ingredients with a pair of thongs to incorporate.
Serve immediately and top with additional basil and Parmesan.
Info about The Guys Guide:
The Guys Guide site features more than 25 video and written recipes with tips and tricks on preparation. Everything a guy needs to create a perfect meal, including shopping lists, shortcuts, and wine pairings. Easily downloadable to a video iPOD or other PDA, the site has recipes for beef, lamb, chicken, seafood, pasta, and vegetarian meals, as well as irresistible breakfasts.
About Chef Robert Fair, The Guys Guide, Contestant on Bachelorette Season 4:
The real pursuit of Chef Robert Fair's culinary career came during college when he enrolled at the California Culinary Academy instead of going to an academic college. He was the 2000 winner of the prestigious CCA Iron Chef Competition which put him in line to work in some of the Bay Area's top fine dining establishments. "Restaurants were fun but there is a certain satisfaction of teaching someone how to make something amazing -- especially guys, because women love a man who can cook," explained Fair who practiced his craft as culinary director of Sur La Table, the nationwide culinary products retailer. Born and raised in San Francisco, the 28 year old Fair remembers helping his mother and aunts stuff the Thanksgiving turkey when he was about 8. He helped out in the kitchen as often as he could. Fair plans to add new recipes to his website, including some items that he will make for the Bachelorette during the reality TV series.
