White Meat Sauce

This has been a favorite in our family for years. I modified the original recipe in The Silver Spoon Cookbook. It is good with all types of pasta but fabulous with orecchiette. I usually double the batch and freeze the sauce in portions easy to thaw for dinner.

White Meat Sauce
AuthorHeather Erica von BargenDifficultyBeginner

This has been a favorite in our family for years. I modified the original recipe in The Silver Spoon Cookbook. It is good with all types of pasta but fabulous with orecchiette. I usually double the batch and freeze the sauce in portions easy to thaw for dinner.

White Meat Sauce
Yields4 Servings
Prep Time20 minsCook Time1 hr 45 minsTotal Time2 hrs 5 mins
 1 lb orecchiette pasta
 2 tbsp olive oil
 2 tbsp butter
 1 onion, finely chopped
 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
 1 carrot, finely chopped
 2 oz pancetta or bacon, diced
 1 lb ground veal (can substitute mixed ground beef and pork)
 ½ cup dry white wine
 1 cup chicken stock, no added sodium
 23 tbsp heavy cream (optional)
 salt to taste
1

Heat the olive oil and butter in a shallow pan.

2

Add the onion, celery, carrot, and pancetta and cook over low-medium heat until softened.

3

Increase the heat to high, add the ground meat, and mix well. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned.

4

Add the wine and cook until it has evaporated.

5

Add a ladleful of the stock.

6

Lower the heat and cook for 1 and 1/2 hours, adding more stock as needed.

7

Add a little salted pasta cooking water at the end of cooking to help it all come together.
If you want a more mellow flavor, add heavy cream at the end.

Ingredients

 1 lb orecchiette pasta
 2 tbsp olive oil
 2 tbsp butter
 1 onion, finely chopped
 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
 1 carrot, finely chopped
 2 oz pancetta or bacon, diced
 1 lb ground veal (can substitute mixed ground beef and pork)
 ½ cup dry white wine
 1 cup chicken stock, no added sodium
 23 tbsp heavy cream (optional)
 salt to taste

Directions

1

Heat the olive oil and butter in a shallow pan.

2

Add the onion, celery, carrot, and pancetta and cook over low-medium heat until softened.

3

Increase the heat to high, add the ground meat, and mix well. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned.

4

Add the wine and cook until it has evaporated.

5

Add a ladleful of the stock.

6

Lower the heat and cook for 1 and 1/2 hours, adding more stock as needed.

7

Add a little salted pasta cooking water at the end of cooking to help it all come together.
If you want a more mellow flavor, add heavy cream at the end.

White Meat Sauce

Author: Heather Erica von Bargen

Heather is the host of Casa Pace e Gioia, a holiday rental home with a private pool, olive groves, and grapevines on 8 acres in the countryside hills of Le Marche, Italy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *