The LA-based photographer and director is inspired by the aromas of his mother’s cooking.
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!