Bolognese is a type of ragù—a thick, hearty meat sauce for pasta. As in most traditional types of ragù, this version starts with mirepoix, a combination of finely diced carrot, onion, and celery, to give the sauce flavor and texture. But instead of having beef as the star ingredient, this lightened-up version features ground turkey and is ladled on top of whole-grain egg noodles.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1 small carrot, roughly chopped

　　1/2 small yellow onion, roughly chopped

　　1 small celery stalk, roughly chopped

　　Nonstick olive oil cooking spray

　　12 ounces ground turkey breast

　　1/4 cup dry red wine

　　2 cups Rocco’s How Low Can You Go Low-Fat Marinara Sauce (page 206) or store-bought low-fat marinara sauce

　　Pinch of ground nutmeg

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　6 ounces medium yolk-free whole-grain noodles, such as Manischewitz

　　4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

　　

Step 1

Combine the carrot, onion, and celery in a food processor, and pulse until the vegetables are very finely chopped.

　　

Step 2

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, spray it with olive oil spray and add the vegetables. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Add the turkey to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break it up, until it is just cooked through, about 5 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Add the wine and bring the mixture to a boil. When the wine has reduced by about half, add the marinara sauce. Season with the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce, stirring it occasionally, for 30 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.

　　

Step 6

Divide the noodles among 4 bowls, and ladle the Bolognese sauce on top. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon of the cheese, and serve.

　　

nutrition information

Step 7

Fat: 13g (before), 3.7g (after)

　　

Step 8

Calories: 980 (before), 339 (after)

　　

Step 9

Protein: 30g

　　

Step 10

Carbohydrates: 45g

　　

Step 11

Cholesterol: 46mg

　　

Step 12

Fiber: 5g

　　

Step 13

Sodium: 432mg

　　Now Eat This by Rocco DiSpirito. Copyright © 2010 by Rocco DiSpirito. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Hailed as the "Leading Chef of his Generation" by Gourmet magazine, Rocco DiSpirito received the James Beard Award for his first cookbook, Flavor. He went on to author Rocco's Italian-American (2004), Rocco's Five Minute Flavor (2005), Rocco's Real-Life Recipes (2007), and Rocco Gets Real (2009). DiSpirito also starred in the Food Network series Melting Pot, the NBC hit reality series The Restaurant, and the A&E series Rocco Gets Real.