Recipe: Pot Roast Pasta Bolognese

Earlier this week, in an attempt to utilize my slow cooker, we had Pot Roast and Veggies for dinner.  While it is always thrilling for me to come home to a slow cooked meal (I love feeling a sense of accomplishment after doing very little work) and it was a decent meal, Pot Roast isn't exactly the kind of thing I feel like eating for days and days. It's just not that exciting. And man, were there ever leftovers.

I wondered if maybe I could utilize all this leftover meat into a pasta sauce but really didn't want to just dump it in there and had no idea where to begin.

Enter Emeril!

What you'll need:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 sprig fresh thyme (I used about 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme)
• 3/4 cup dry white wine (I just used what I had in the fridge, I have no idea if it was dry or not)
• 1 1/2 pounds leftover cooked pot roast, shredded
• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes and their juices
• 1 cup leftover pot roast gravy or reduced beef stock (I used the stock)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (I used table cream)
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 pound fettuccine
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

1.  In a large pot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring, until browned and the fat is rendered, about 4 minutes.

2.  Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. 

3.  Add the garlic, nutmeg and thyme, and cook for 30 seconds. 

4.  Add the wine, stir to deglaze the pan, and cook until the liquid is nearly all evaporated, about 3 minutes. 

5.  Add the shredded meat, tomatoes and gravy and simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium high heat until the sauce is thickened and flavorful, 20 to 30 minutes. 

6.  Stir in the cream and parsley, and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Verdict:

We all loved this one.  I'll be making Pot Roast again really soon just to make this sauce with the leftovers!  It was really flavourful and tasted quite fresh and homemade. Which makes me sound like a moron. Cause it was homemade, so why wouldn't it taste homemade? But sometimes, homemade sauce doesn't taste that homemade and I'm left wondering why I didn't just open a jar of Classico. You know?  Not this time.  Oh, and also? BAM!

Emeril tested, Lenny approved.