My Bolognese Sauce

A good bolognese sauce can be the basis of so many meals. The classic Spaghetti Bolognese, Lasagne or even a family Pasta Bake. It can be eaten with white long grain rice, a simple risotto or just scooped up and eaten with fresh crusty bread.  It keeps well, and can be frozen. It is so versatile and so easy to make.  There are only a few tricks to ensuring a great sauce, but the most important things are give it time, and taste.

The first is time. Don’t skimp on time.  A good sauce needs time to develop, reduce and concentrate in flavour. The second is a heavy pot. The sauce needs to cook in a heavy based pan to ensure it doesn’t ‘catch’ and burn on the bottom over the long cooking time. The third is taste. Always adjust seasoning, add a little salt, more oregano, be in tune with the flavours and be confident to add what it needs.

Bolognese Sauce

Use tossed through pasta or as a basis for a hearty lasagne.

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Servings: 6

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 brown onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 celery stick, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 kg regular beef mince
• salt
• 3 tbsp dried oregano
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups water
• 4 x 400 g tins crushed tomatoes
• 700 g Tomato passata (pureed tomatoes)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 small handful fresh basil leaves

Method

 

1. Tip the olive oil into a large heavy based pot and put on a medium heat.
2. Add the onions, celery and carrots and cook, stirring, until onions are translucent.
3. Add the garlic and sauté a further minute.
4. Turn heat to high, and add the mince. Stir and cook until mince is browned.
5. Add a good pinch of salt, the oregano, and a few turns of freshly ground pepper and stir to combine.
6. Add the water, tinned tomatoes, passata, bay leaves and basil. Stir to combine.
7. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 2 hours.
8. Remove lid, turn heat to medium and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring every now and then.
9. Taste and season with salt as necessary (see note below).
10. Remove the bay leaves before using.
11. The sauce can be sealed and refrigerated for a few days, or frozen for 3 months.

Notes

 

The flavour of the Bolognese will alter depending on the tomatoes used.  I find some brands impart a more bitter flavour, others have a lovely sweetness after the slow cooking time. I recommend using brands using San Marzano, Roma or 'Italian Tomatoes' - however if you're on a budget by all means use whatever you can get your hands on.

 

If you find your sauce a touch bitter, add a tsp sugar, mix and simmer for another 15 minutes. Generally, the longer and slower the sauce cooks, even using home-brand tinned tomatoes, the sweeter the sauce. Go by your tastebuds and you can't go wrong.