The BEST Bolognese

Apparently I have been on a pasta kick lately.  I made the pasta balsamic chicken the other day, the zucchini lasagna just before that (OK, not exactly pasta), and the basil spaghetti with salmon and sundried tomatoes right before that.  Upon reflection, I don't think it is the pasta that I have been craving, but rather my utterly unquenchable obsession with the basil infused olive oil we bought at the Alaska State Fair.  As I have spouted before, the stuff is incredible.  Truly.  So I think the root of all the pasta dishes stems from my desire to put the basil infused olive oil in everything. 

Well, this bolognese topped wheat spaghetti lightly coated in the olive oil of my dreams and the result was simply magical.  Light noodles with a hint of basil and garlic topped with hearty, meaty, flavorful (and healthy!) bolognese sauce.  This is absolutely 100% my new red sauce.  I can't wait to use it on pizza! 

(Shhhh....we made a braided spaghetti bread using the leftovers and it was to die for.  Stay tuned for that blog post.)

Turkey Bolognese
(This makes a TON.  You could easily half or even quarter it.  I like to go big though.)

• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 3 or 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1.25 pounds of lean ground turkey (I used one of the packages from Costco.  You could certainly use much less.  If you do, make sure to use less of everything else too.)
• 2 cans of no salt added diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 small cans of tomato paste
• 1 medium can of tomato sauce
• 2ish tablespoons of oregano
• 2ish tablespoons of thyme (I really have no idea how much of either spice I used.  Sorry.)
• a few shakes of crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 or 3ish tablespoons of fresh basil, thinly sliced
• 1 pound of whole wheat pasta
• a few glugs of basil infused olive oil
• a little bit of freshly grated garlic

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. In a large skillet, heat a little olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the onions and the garlic.  Cook until soft.
3. Add the ground turkey.  Use a wooden spoon to break the turkey into smaller pieces.  Cook until turkey is browned.
4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and the spices.  Reduce heat to medium.
5. Cook for a few minutes to let the flavors marinate.
6. Taste and adjust spices.
7. Add the basil.  Taste again.
8. While the sauce is cooking, add the spaghetti to the water.  Cook until al dente.
9. Drain the pasta and return to the pot.
10. Add just enough of the basil infused olive oil to coat.
11. Serve the pasta with the sauce on top.  
12. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan.
13. ENJOY!