Whole Grain Pasta & Beef Bolognese

Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Medium dice the celery. Peel and medium dice the shallot. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Cut off and discard the root end of the lettuce; roughly chop the leaves. Cut off and discard the ends of the radishes; halve lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.

In a medium pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the diced celery and shallot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 4 to 6 minutes, or until softened. Add the beef and chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. (If the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil.) Cook, frequently breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.

While the bolognese cooks, in a bowl, combine the vinegar and half the Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in 2 teaspoons of olive oil until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To the pan, add the tomato sauce, remaining Italian seasoning, 1/2 cup of water, and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits, 8 to 9 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the bolognese cooks, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly. Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan of finished bolognese. Cook, stirring vigorously, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the pasta is coated. (If the sauce seems dry, gradually add the reserved pasta cooking water to achieve your desired consistency.) Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Just before serving, in a large bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, sliced radishes, and enough of the dressing to coat the salad (you may have extra dressing). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the finished pasta with the salad on the side. Enjoy!