Ingredients:
Bolognese Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, small dice
1 fennel bulb, small dice
1 large carrot, small dice
2 stalks celery, small dice
6 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 pound ground turkey
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups chicken stock
9 medium VERY ripe tomatoes (about 2 3/4 pounds), medium dice
4 ounces button mushrooms, quartered
Pasta
12 ounces fresh fettuccine or tagliatelle noodles
1/2 cup fresh basil, torn into pieces
1 wedge Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions:
PREPARE BOLOGNESE SAUCE:
Heat a heavy medium pot (5 quart) over medium high heat.
Add the olive oil to the hot pot and sweat the onions for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, or until they soften.
Add the fennel, carrot, celery, garlic, and fennel seeds and saute until the liquid evaporates and the vegetables are golden, about 12 minutes.
Add the turkey. Season generously with salt and pepper and cook until the turkey is golden brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the wine and cook until the wine has almost completely reduced.
Add the broth, tomatoes, and mushrooms and bring the sauce to a simmer.
FINISH THE SAUCE:
Reduce heat and cover. Continue simmering very gently, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the sauce has reduced slightly and thickened.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
PREPARE THE FETTUCCINE:
Just before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine in the water for 2 to 3 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
Lift the pasta from the pasta water to drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
TOSS PASTA WITH SAUCE:
Transfer the pasta to the sauce.
Toss well with carving fork to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper, adding a little of the reserved pasta water if necessary to thin out the sauce.
TO SERVE:
Swirl the pasta into the center of 4 pasta bowls or onto a pasta serving platter.
Mix some of the basil into the remaining sauce in the pot, then spoon the sauce over the pasta.
Sprinkle the remaining basil over each bowl of pasta then grate the Parmesan over and serve.
