*Bolognese sauce? (merged thread)

[guinnessdrinker]

but if you crush it you're meant to leave it fifteen minutes first, for some reason i've never been able to fathom.

but then, the garlic oil wil evaporate and I like my garlic.

 

[belboid]

well yeah, thats why I can never really fathom it. But apparently it actually helps enhance the flavouring!

no, I've never been arsed to try it either tho...

 

[pinkychukkles]

ok I've basically tried Funky_Monks recipie, but I added some bacon, it's simmering merrily away on the stove now although I don't think I'll be able to simmer it for the 3 hours that was recommended.

I have a friend coming to dinner, so I will report back later....

 

[pinkychukkles]

and it was really good, even though I wasn't boiling it down the sauce got lovely and thick. I think I approve of chucking the shredded carrots and maybe even the chopped celery out of the bolognese equation. Have frozen what was left but even the casserole dish smells yummy this morning

 

[catrina]

I think I approve of chucking the shredded carrots and maybe even the chopped celery out of the bolognese equation.

that's what makes bolognese bolognese, though!! - the soffritto, or finely chopped carrots, onion and celery - is what makes bolognese a bolognese as opposed to ragu. Garlic doesn't belong either - way too strong.

I like a mixture of fresh and tinned tomatoes...

 

[Ms T]

that's what makes bolognese bolognese, though!! - the soffritto, or finely chopped carrots, onion and celery - is what makes bolognese a bolognese as opposed to ragu. Garlic doesn't belong either - way too strong.

I like a mixture of fresh and tinned tomatoes...

But isn't ragu what we call Bolognese? When we went to Bologna is was always "al ragu" on the menus. I lost count of the number of times Hendo ate it with various types of pasta!

 

[catrina]

No - ragu is just a slow cooked meat-based sauce. In Bologna it will be Bolognese, but if you're somewhere else they'll refer to it as ragú Bolognese, most likely.

The other common one is napoletano. This is made with large cuts of meat. The sauce is served with pasta as a starter, and the meat is sliced and served as a main course.

Just checked the Hazan recipe - looks perfect, except I'd use light olive oil rather than veg, and add some chopped sage and of course a bay leaf! I've always used red wine but have seen lots of recipes calling for white so will have to try it.

 

[pinkychukkles]

Sorry I get your point well my ragu sauce was the dogs the other night

I'm going down the supermarché now, so I might do another bolognese variation on this thread!

 

[cathal marcs]

Gonna try this tomorow,

Sweat 1 chopped onions along with browning the mince,
Get the excess fat out mince add chopped garlic,
add tin of chopped tomatoes and a dab of puree + table spoon of olive oil,
cook for 20 mins
then add 2/3 tea spoons of sundried tomato paste it gives it an intense kick,
Start to boil spaghetti for twelve mins
after 5 mins add basil and cook until spaghetti is cooked

if i fancy a spicier sause add some pepper but reffer spicy sauce with penne and raviolli.

 

[Zinedine*]

NO!!!!!!!!!

It's like this:

1lb of lean beef mince
1lb pork mince
1 pack of pancetta or chopped bacon
2 cans of chopped tomatoes
1 tube tomato puree
half a pint of red wine
loads of basil
2 onions.

garlic,optional.

cook it all up like this:

cook the meat first, then remove, cook the onions and pancetta then return meat to the dish add tomatoes, puree, red wine and basil then cook on lowest heat for 4 hours.

I was thinking NO!!! as well. Your recipe is very similar to mine. Except I put it in the oven. Oh, and grated nutmeg is a must. Give it a go, it really improves the flavour.

 

[Hellsbells]

Does anyone else purify the mince before cooking it to get rid of all the gunk?
I always cover my mince in water and boil it until all the water has been absorbed. The complete and utter mank that comes out is quite horrible and getting rid of it makes the mince taste sooooo good and tasty.

 

[Orang Utan]

This is the best ever recipe for Bolognese EVER. I was initially dubious cos it only has a couple of blobs of tomato purée and no herbs in - but apparently the bolognese sauces we are all used to are in fact ersatz bolognese, like chicken tikka massala is as a curry. This is the authentic real deal:
Tagliatelle with Bolognese Sauce

It is curious that, the world over, the best-known pasta is spaghetti Bolognese. For in Bologna, where Bolognese sauce was created, it is eaten with tagliatelle - the pasta also created in Bologna. Moreover, the true Bolognese sauce often has little in common with its international namesakes. This is the true Bolognese sauce, as it is cooked at one of Bologna's top restaurants. For 4.

500g (18 oz) tagliatelle
15g (1/2 oz) dried porcini mushrooms (optional)
60 g (2 oz) unsalted butter
60g (2 oz) streaky unsmoked bacon, finely chopped
40g (l'/2 oz) celery, finely chopped
40g (1/2 oz) carrot, finely chopped
a small onion or shallot
300g (11 oz) excellent beef mince
1½ tumblers good red wine
nutmeg, grated
1½ teaspoons plain flour
2 scant teaspoons tomato paste
a little broth
good Parmesan cheese, grated

Soak the porcini for an hour in a little warm water, if using. Melt three quarters of the butter in a casserole with the bacon. When the bacon begins to colour add the celery, carrot and chopped onion and let them soften gently. Add the beef, and brown it Pour in half the wine and cook briskly to evaporate most of it. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, sprinkle with the flour, stir, add the tomato paste, the porcini and a ladle of broth. Cover, and simmer the sauce very slowly for at least l'/2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding a little porcini liquid, strained through a muslin, or some hot broth. Towards the end add 2 tablespoons of milk, to soften the flavour, taste and adjust the seasoning. Have ready a large pan of boiling salted water. Cook the pasta al dente, place on a warm dish, add the remaining butter in little flakes, and top with three-quarters of the sauce - the rest is passed round at table, like the Parmesan.
This is the classic version, but some people add 2 tablespoons of thick cream to the sauce at the very end. In Bologna they also vary the recipe by using half beef, half pork