The LA-based photographer and director is inspired by the aromas of his mother’s cooking.
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Christian Coppola’s projects are both sartorial and cinematic. His current project, “The Danish Trilogy” is inspired by his wide-ranging interests from fashion to the avant-garde Danish film movement Dogme 95. But when it comes to cooking, his favorite reference is one close to home. The Los Angeles-based filmmaker and photographer recalls a classic spaghetti bolognese made by his mother. "I have vivid memories of her making bolognese for dinner every Sunday when I was a kid and the way the aroma floated through the whole house,” says Coppola. “Bolognese is the ultimate comfort food. It feels like a warm blanket, especially when my mom makes it.”
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons butter plus 1 tablespoon for tossing the pasta
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ⅔ cup chopped celery
- ⅔ cup chopped carrot
- ¾ pound ground beef chuck (or you can use 1 part pork to 2 parts beef)
- Salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 ½ cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
- 1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds pasta
- Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese at the table
Instructions
- Soak 1 to 2 ounces of dried porcini in warm water for 30 minutes.
- Cook beef and pork (ratio of ¾ beef to ¼ pork) in a saucepan until no pink remains.
- Add wine, milk and dried porcini and let simmer for about 8 minutes until liquids evaporate.
- Stir in tomato paste, and seasonings and vegetables of choice. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened.
- Cook pasta according to package directions and drain noodles.
- Toss pasta with sauce and serve hot with some parmigiano!