Bad Ass Bolognese and a Super Charcuterie Board for the Big Game

Name: Bad Ass Bolognese
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Ingredients: 1-1/2 lb. ground beef (80% lean); 2 celery stalks (minced); 1 large carrot (minced); 1 medium yellow onion (minced); 1/2 lb. guanciale (sliced into 1/4-inch matchsticks); 1/2 bottle dry red wine; 1 can San Marzano tomato puree; Dried oregano (to taste); Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (for serving); Extra virgin olive oil (as needed); Salt u0026amp; pepper; 1 lb. dry pasta of choice (I prefer short noodles like rigatoni or orecchiette).

Our Editor-in-Chief shares a Big Game menu complete with an elaborate charcuterie board and a muscular Bolognese ragu.

By Andrew Cotto

2:39 PM EST on February 6, 2026

A "Super" charcuterie board and a sparkling rose from Il Borro. — A “Super” charcuterie board and a sparkling rose from Il Borro.

My mother could care less about football, but she loved the Super Bowl! It was an excuse to throw a party where she could feed people and fill them with drink. I remember as a little kid, our small house being full of adults spilling out of the living room, laughing and drinking and, of course, eating my mother’s exquisite food. As I got older, she would host my friends and feed us her elevated teen-friendly fare, such as fancy chili dogs or muffalattas or Lasagna Bolognese.

At this point in my life, I share my mother’s lack of interest in football, but I’m happy to use it as an excuse to feed people and fill them with drink. So, with the Super Bowl approaching, I’ve laid out an elevated, Italian-inspired menu that features some of my favorite brands and an original recipe for a hopped-up Bolognese that’s perfect for a football crowd on the day of the Big Game.

I’m starting with a charcuterie board of all Italian products, including a vast array of high-end, domestic meats from two brands (Creminelli Fine Meats and Del Duca) that operate under the auspices of Charcuterie Artisans. We’re talking expertly crafted coppa, prosciutto, and salami from wild boar and others seasoned with Barolo, Black Truffle, and Calabrese spices all from Creminelli. From the Del Duca line, I used salami bites, both dry and hot, as well as a prosciutto log of rolled prosciutto and mozzarella.

Speaking of mozzarella, the cheese star of the board will be fresh Bufala Mozzarella from our friends at Lioni Latticini. It’s creamy texture and tangy flavor are a great compliment to the meats. I also added some roasted red peppers and Sicilian olives.

Washing down all of this charcuterie love will be a pleasure thanks to the freshness and acicity of Bollo di Borro, a sparkling rose Brut made in the traditional method by the Ferregamo wine estate Il Borro.

The main course will be what I call my “Bad Ass Bolognese” - a traditional ragu ratcheted by unctuous guanciale rendered into crispy matchsticks with the fat used to add complexity and flavor to the soffritto. To match the depth of this dish I’ll be serving another product from the Ferregamo line, a 2020 Brunello di Montalcino from their new Pinino estate in Montalcino. Yeah.

It’s all going to be so good my friends might not even mind that I don’t have a TV…

Bad Ass Bolognese

Recipe by Andrew Cotto

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

6-8

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hour

minutes

Ingredients

1-1/2 lb. 1-1/2 ground beef (80% lean)
2 2 celery stalks (minced)
1 large 1 carrot (minced)
1 medium 1 yellow onion (minced)
1/2 lb. 1/2 guanciale (sliced into 1/4-inch matchsticks)
1/2 bottle 1/2 dry red wine
1 can 1 San Marzano tomato puree
Dried oregano (to taste)
Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (for serving)
Extra virgin olive oil (as needed)
Salt & pepper
1 lb. 1 dry pasta of choice (I prefer short noodles like rigatoni or orecchiette).

Directions

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-low heat.
Add enough EVOO to coat the bottom of the pan.
When the oil is warm, add the guanciale and sauté gently until the matchsticks are slightly crispy and most of the fat has been rendered (10 minutes).
Remove to a paper-towel lined plate.
Raise the heat slightly and add the soffritto (celery, carrots, onion).
Season with pepper (there’s enough salt already from the guanciale).
Sauté, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have cooked down nearly to a paste (20-25 minutes).
Raise the heat to medium and add the ground beef.
Season with salt & pepper.
Brown the beef, stirring occasionally (15-20 minutes).
Raise the heat slightly and add the wine.
Stir constantly to incorporate the wine and allow it to simmer until nearly evaporated.
Add the tomato puree.
Mix thoroughly, bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer.
Add the oregano.
Return the guanciale.
Simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil.
Season with 1/4 cup of salt.
Add your pasta and cook until 1 minute short of al dente.
Transfer the pasta the Bolognese and stir for one minute.
Serve immediately with grated Parmigiano cheese on the side.