Vegetables Cavatelli with Venison Bolognese 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews "I created this recipe for my father-in-law, who is a big hunter," chef Michael Symon says. "I'm always looking for ways to cook up his fantastic venison in the fall and winter." In place of the traditional Bolognese combination of beef, veal and pork, the venison gives this lush sauce a great gamey flavor. Slideshow: More Pasta Recipes Recipe from Food & Wine Best New Chefs All-Star Cookbook By Michael Symon Michael Symon Instagram A 1998 Food & Wine Best New Chef, Michael Symon grew up in a Mediterranean and Eastern European family. The chef combines that heritage with a Cleveland sensibility at Bar Symon, B Spot Burgers, Lola, Lolita, and Mabel's restaurants. He's known for hosting Emmy-winning talk show The Chew on ABC. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on January 6, 2016 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Chris Court Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 2 hrs Yield: 8 Ingredients 1/4 cup olive oil 2 pounds ground venison (see Note) Kosher salt 1 onion, diced (2 cups) 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 carrots, finely diced 2 celery ribs, finely diced 1 cup dry red wine One 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes 1 fresh bay leaf 6 oregano sprigs 2 pounds fresh cavatelli 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Directions In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the venison, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the venison to a colander set over a bowl and let drain. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the pot. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the carrots and celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the wine. Simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, oregano and the drained venison and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes, until the venison is very tender and the sauce has thickened, about 1 1/2 hours. Discard the bay leaf and oregano sprigs. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water. Add the pasta and 1 cup of the cooking water to the Bolognese sauce and simmer over moderate heat, tossing, until the pasta is nicely coated. Add more pasta cooking water if the sauce seems too thick. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cheese and butter. Season with salt and serve immediately. Make Ahead The Bolognese sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Notes Ground venison is available at specialty butchers and localharvest.org. Alternatively, you can substitute ground lamb for the venison. Suggested Pairing Rich, spicy southern Italian red. Rate it Print