Bolognese sauce

shropshireblue · Bolognese sauce

Every week I make bolognese sauce for my family and add pasta to it (I'm an exciting cook, I know! :lol: ).

Does anyone have a fantastic bolognese recipe I could try? I always feel mine could do with that bit more ooomph (if you get my meaning!!). I try so many different recipes which go down well, but if you have a recipe for a cracking bolognese sauce, I'd be very grateful.

Thank you!

Glynis

sparkymarky

i'd love to help but my recipe is constantly changing and so often i do not follow any set rules or recipe just use a little knowledge(not always a dangerous thing) and a bit of imagination and just see what happens.....i'm sure that someone else in this instance will be a lot better help than i am......my sauce is always a little versatile anyway so that i can use the remainder for a kind of cottage pie or lasagne as although vic loves spag bol,personally i prefer either of these other two dishes

MissMuppet

I'll tell you what I use in my bolognese but sometimes it tastes better that others times so maybe I'm missing some vital ingredient... Last nights spag bol contained:

Mince
1 Garlic clove
2 Shallotts (small)
Mushrooms
Tin of tomatoes
2 Oxo beef stock cubes (probably would be 10 times better with fresh stock!)
Splosh of red wine
Salt and pepper

Fry the garlic and shallotts, add the mince till browned. Add the stock cubes, mushrooms, tomatoes and wine. Simmer for 20 odd minutes and add some more wine to get a wetter sauce if you like it like that.

I'd be no good at writing recipes! :lol:

Jerseygirl

Yeh I'm with Sparky here. Although I started off with the classic Ragu from Delia Smith over the years it has evolved and now I just do what feels right and it always tastes good.

shanzi

I think I might just try your recipe Jo with a few changes, like no mushrooms, and add onions & peppers instead of shallots - oh dear can't do the red wine - I just gave away my only bottle. :roll:

I always use the jar from the supermarket - but I seem to always pick up one with oregano in and I hate oregano in anything.

MissMuppet

Oh I put dried mixed herbs in it too! :lol:

shanzi

Oh - I better get some of those too - no oregano though.......thanks.

Windy Wendy

Herbs are the key! Schwarts do Italian Herb Seasoning which is great in bolog. Also, the traditional bolog contains not only mince but finely chopped bacon - if I add this I fry it at the beginning with the onions to make it crispy and then it add an extra texture to the sauce.

Jerseygirl

Definately need bacon either chopped rashers or those ready chopped lardons.

Gilly C

I like to add a little worcestershire sauce, and a teaspoon of sugar takes away the acid of the tinned tomatoes and a squirt of puree :)

MissMuppet

Windy Wendy

annie130

Like nearly everybody else, I chuck things in as I fancy, but like loads of herbs (mixed, oregano, basil) and strong garlic. Worcester sauce and teaspoon of sugar essential, peppers and mushrooms as available, cut the onions fairly chunky, and those cartons of passata changed my life - they're incredibly cheap (don't buy the jars, you're paying for the container!) and there's always a meal you can invent by adding them to pasta + whatever's left in the fridge!

Often make bolognese using quorn mince too - you really wouldn't know. But if you're using quorn, do add it at the end, don't treat it like meat mince or it can go really yucky.

shropshireblue

Thanks guys! I like the idea of adding worcestershire sauce. I usually add onions, garlic, mushrooms, stock (from cubes I'm afraid folks), tinned toms, puree, dried herbs, somet...it's the wine I'm forgetting!

I also like the idea of adding bacon. Will try that.

I buy some ingredients in bulk from Costco. Great if you've got a lot to feed. My freeze dried herbs came from there. 90 something p for a huge tub. It'll last a lifetime :lol:

hec

I know this is an old thread but I'm just reading through so many of the threads that I find interesting.

I like to use half beef mince (lean) and half soya mince. I'm not keen on the texture if I use all soya but half and half really reduces the calories whilst keeping the bite and flavour of the meat.

Like other I add whatever veg I have around, loads of herbs, bacon if I have it etc etc

MissMuppet

That's a good idea Hec, might try that in future.. could do with losing a few pounds! :D

Nice to see you over here...

Nannyp

Mince fried first
1 sliced Green Pepper
3 large cloves of Garlic
1 tin chopped toms/or 1 jar passata
2 teaspoons of basil
Half teaspoon of celery salt

I'm pretty sure I don't put in onions, but haven't made it for a while.

Edited to add.
I made this tonight, yummy. I forgot to say, I push the tomatoes through a sieve, that way leaving out the pips which takes the bitterness away.

Nannyp

Hello Hec :D