Bolognese

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Discussion

Lotobear

Original Poster:

6,495 posts

129 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
I love a good bolognese and regularly batch cook and bag it in portions for the freezer. I've played with various recipes but my usual way is:

Plenty of carrot, onion and celery, chopped as fine as possible and sweated down in a heavy cast iron pot (with some pancetta) to reduce moisture, some Basil and Rosemary in there.

Pork and minced beef added in then broken down with 4-5 chopped anchovies, off the heat tilt pan and skim off excess fat (leaving some in). Back on heat and add some milk then boil off. A generous glug of decent Italian red wine (Primitivo is great for this) and reduce back down then add half a tube of tomato paste and a tin of chopped tomatoes (or passata). Season to taste and a pint or so of good stock.

Bring to boil then simmer for a couple of hours with lid on or in oven at 125 degrees for 2-3 hours, lid off for last 30 mins to reduce down.

This usually hits the spot but...any variations/recommendations?

normalbloke

7,486 posts

220 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
Any variations? I doubt it…..

deadslow

8,038 posts

224 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
garlic (plenty) and chilli (a touch)

CountyAFC

737 posts

4 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
Milk?

rallye101

1,970 posts

198 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
Lotobear said:
I love a good bolognese and regularly batch cook and bag it in portions for the freezer. I've played with various recipes but my usual way is:

Plenty of carrot, onion and celery, chopped as fine as possible and sweated down in a heavy cast iron pot (with some pancetta) to reduce moisture, some Basil and Rosemary in there.

Pork and minced beef added in then broken down with 4-5 chopped anchovies, off the heat tilt pan and skim off excess fat (leaving some in). Back on heat and add some milk then boil off. A generous glug of decent Italian red wine (Primitivo is great for this) and reduce back down then add half a tube of tomato paste and a tin of chopped tomatoes (or passata). Season to taste and a pint or so of good stock.

Bring to boil then simmer for a couple of hours with lid on or in oven at 125 degrees for 2-3 hours, lid off for last 30 mins to reduce down.

This usually hits the spot but...any variations/recommendations?
Nail and head, I do some garlic,use white wine and tomato puree

The Gauge

2,104 posts

14 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
CountyAFC said:
Milk?
I'm interested in that part too.

Jordie Barretts sock

4,683 posts

20 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
Lotobear said:
I love a good bolognese and regularly batch cook and bag it in portions for the freezer. I've played with various recipes but my usual way is:

Plenty of carrot, onion and celery, chopped as fine as possible and sweated down in a heavy cast iron pot (with some pancetta) to reduce moisture, some Basil and Rosemary in there.

Pork and minced beef added in then broken down with 4-5 chopped anchovies, off the heat tilt pan and skim off excess fat (leaving some in). Back on heat and add some milk then boil off. A generous glug of decent Italian red wine (Primitivo is great for this) and reduce back down then add half a tube of tomato paste and a tin of chopped tomatoes (or passata). Season to taste and a pint or so of good stock.

Bring to boil then simmer for a couple of hours with lid on or in oven at 125 degrees for 2-3 hours, lid off for last 30 mins to reduce down.

This usually hits the spot but...any variations/recommendations?
I'm sorry. That sounds utterly revolting. Why on earth is there carrot and celery in there? Let alone anchovies and milk????? Pork??

Where's the garlic and oregano?

loskie

5,299 posts

121 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
Oregano

fttm

3,719 posts

136 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all

No idea regards the milk and imho half a tube of paste is way ott .
Brown mince , add onions too soften , garlic for 30 secs then good slosh of red and reduce , then herbs crushed tinned tomatoes and beef stock if required simmer for a while , season to taste , serve .

GuigiaroBertone

21 posts

6 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
For those that question the OPs sanity, I agree that milk is a game changer- you don't need much but it makes a massive difference.

Try adding somewhere between a tablespoon and 20ml per person.

I wouldn't add anything else. If you're feeling flush, use Mutti tinned tomatoes. Miles better than the usual suspects.

I'm not sure anchovies do much for me in a spag bol with beef and pork already adding meatiness. I'd prob swap them for a splash of truffle oil for earthiness.

Also recommend using Marco Pierre White's method with the mince- really spend a decent amount of time working it and breaking it up.

generationx

6,883 posts

106 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
Fry onions and garlic. Add minced beef and brown. Add heaped tablespoon of tomato purée and cook for a little while until the meat is coated. Add Mutti tomatoes, a generous glass of red and a couple of bay leaves. Simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally and check seasoning about ten minutes before serving.

Mix through spaghetti.

Checked and approved by Italian colleague’s mum…

loskie

5,299 posts

121 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
Milk is well known to tenderise meat

TownIdiot

246 posts

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
Beef and pork mix would definitely be "authentic" although they sound probably use veal mince instead of beef.

Pancetta or similar in with the soffrito.

I'd use white wine instead of red and omit the tomato paste.

And yes milk is a definitely used, although I normally omit it.

I can't 100% remember but I'm pretty sure they use butter or lard instead of oil in that part of Italy as well.


rallye101

1,970 posts

198 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
Yep....remember its peasant dish so basically keep stuff simple I reckon

bigpriest

1,618 posts

131 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Lotobear said:
I love a good bolognese and regularly batch cook and bag it in portions for the freezer. I've played with various recipes but my usual way is:

Plenty of carrot, onion and celery, chopped as fine as possible and sweated down in a heavy cast iron pot (with some pancetta) to reduce moisture, some Basil and Rosemary in there.

Pork and minced beef added in then broken down with 4-5 chopped anchovies, off the heat tilt pan and skim off excess fat (leaving some in). Back on heat and add some milk then boil off. A generous glug of decent Italian red wine (Primitivo is great for this) and reduce back down then add half a tube of tomato paste and a tin of chopped tomatoes (or passata). Season to taste and a pint or so of good stock.

Bring to boil then simmer for a couple of hours with lid on or in oven at 125 degrees for 2-3 hours, lid off for last 30 mins to reduce down.

This usually hits the spot but...any variations/recommendations?
I'm sorry. That sounds utterly revolting. Why on earth is there carrot and celery in there? Let alone anchovies and milk????? Pork??

Where's the garlic and oregano?
Italian cuisine often starts with chopped onions, carrots and celery (battuto). Slowly cooked in olive oil (soffritto). It may also contain garlic, shallot, or leek.

M5-911

1,365 posts

46 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
The Gauge said:
CountyAFC said:
Milk?
I'm interested in that part too.
it is called "panna di cottura". you basically reduced some milk before adding it to your bolognese. Remember no garlic in a traditional Bolognese.

Regbuser

3,706 posts

36 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
Half a teaspoon of fresh human excrement, really gives a umami tang.

No doubt ferret and illmonkey will be along in a bit, advocating for peas, eurgh, disgusting tongue out

Lotobear

Original Poster:

6,495 posts

129 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
bigpriest said:
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Lotobear said:
I love a good bolognese and regularly batch cook and bag it in portions for the freezer. I've played with various recipes but my usual way is:

Plenty of carrot, onion and celery, chopped as fine as possible and sweated down in a heavy cast iron pot (with some pancetta) to reduce moisture, some Basil and Rosemary in there.

Pork and minced beef added in then broken down with 4-5 chopped anchovies, off the heat tilt pan and skim off excess fat (leaving some in). Back on heat and add some milk then boil off. A generous glug of decent Italian red wine (Primitivo is great for this) and reduce back down then add half a tube of tomato paste and a tin of chopped tomatoes (or passata). Season to taste and a pint or so of good stock.

Bring to boil then simmer for a couple of hours with lid on or in oven at 125 degrees for 2-3 hours, lid off for last 30 mins to reduce down.

This usually hits the spot but...any variations/recommendations?
I'm sorry. That sounds utterly revolting. Why on earth is there carrot and celery in there? Let alone anchovies and milk????? Pork??

Where's the garlic and oregano?
Italian cuisine often starts with chopped onions, carrots and celery (battuto). Slowly cooked in olive oil (soffritto). It may also contain garlic, shallot, or leek.
Exactly - Sofrito is the starting point to any Bolognese and milk is a tip given to me by an Italian friend to help tenderise the meat. The anchovies are another thing he recommended and it absolutely works - you don't taste them but they add a subtle back flavour and saltiness that balances the sweetness from the tomatoes.

yellowbentines

5,353 posts

208 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
generationx said:
Checked and approved by Italian colleague’s mum…
Going OT slightly, but can all Italian Mums cook? How do we know we can trust her judgement? scratchchin

generationx

6,883 posts

106 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
yellowbentines said:
generationx said:
Checked and approved by Italian colleague’s mum…
Going OT slightly, but can all Italian Mums cook? How do we know we can trust her judgement? scratchchin
She had a pretty successful restaurant so I was prepared to believe her.