Bolognese sauce recipe

Bolognese Sauce recipe

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About this recipe

In this blog post I will guide you thru the steps and ingredients needed to craft this recipe. Grab your favorite apron and let's start.
The Bolognese sauce recipe is a classic Italian dish that is loved all around the world. This rich and hearty sauce is made with a combination of ground meat, tomatoes, onions, carrots, and aromatic herbs. It is traditionally simmered for hours to develop its deep flavors and served over pasta. Whether you're cooking for a special occasion or simply craving a comforting meal, this Bolognese sauce recipe is sure to satisfy your taste buds.

Keywords: Bolognese sauce, Italian recipe, ground meat, pasta, comfort food.

Bolognese sauce recipe details

Bolognese sauce recipe, recipe Rating: 4.5
Number of votes:101 

Ingredients

3 tbsp	olive oil
1 large	onion, peeled and finely diced
2 stalk(s)	celery, washed, destringed, and finely diced
2 medium	carrots, diced or grated or use 1 large
2 clove(s)	garlic, finely chopped or sliced
2 large can(s)	whole plum tomatoes, 400g
1 tbsp	heaped, tomato puree
½ tbsp	wine vinegar
500 g	minced beef OR
200 g	minced beef PLUS
200 g	panchetta finely diced AND
100 g	minced veal
125 g	fresh chicken livers, optional
	milk enough to cover livers (to remove residual bitter taste)
2	bay leaves
½ tbsp	sugar if tomatoes are a little bitter, optional
2 large	bay leaves
	salt to taste
	fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 tsp	dried oregano OR
8	fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp	dried basil OR
12	approx fresh basil leaves torn into strips, plua a few extra as decoration when serving
250 ml	good semi-sweet white wine (for a smoother taste) OR
250 ml	good red wine

Instructions

If using the chicken livers, place in a small dish and cover with milk. Place in refrigerator and leave to soak for about 30 minutes. Drain and discard milk, lightly fry the livers in about 1 tbsp olive oil and fry until the pink colour has just about disappeared. Lightly blend to a course paste in a blender of chop with a knife. Set aside until required.

With the tip of a sharp knife carefully remove the strings from the back of the celery and dice small.

Heat a large pan and add remaining olive oil. Lower heat and add onion, celery and carrot and fry until soft. Add garlic and fry for a minute or two, trying not to burn (burnt garlic becomes very bitter). Drain in a sieve. Add about half the oil back to the pan and bring back to heat. Add tomatoes and raise heat a little to help break down tomatoes. When tomatoes have lost some structure, reduce heat. Add puree and vinegar and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add beef (and veal if used) and brown in the oil, stirring repeatedly until brown all over. Add panchetta (if used) and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken livers (if used). Add salt and pepper, and wine and raise heat to boil off alcohol. Reduce heat again, add bay leaves and herbs and stir in. Simmer for about 40 minutes. Check seasoning and adjust as required.

Continue to simmer for a further 30 minutes (absolute minimum). A longer simmer time, up to about 4 hours if time permits, enhances the flavours and makes for a more defined sauce.

Serve with boiled fresh spaghetti (allow about 150-200g per person uncooked weight, or dried spaghetti allowing 125-150g uncooked weight per person). Divide sauce between servings and decorate with 1 or 2 extra basil leaves per person.

Preparation time:
ca. 40 min
Grade of difficulty:
easy
Calories per portion:
n/a