Photo of your dinner (Vol 3)
Discussion
Burwood said:
matrignano said:
Burwood said:
Master Chef is here. I think you've posted on this thread 2 or 3 times (always the same negative contrary crappola-that's italian) after escaping the 'Burger' and 'dirty takeaways' threads. Forgive me while I laugh my tits off. How was the duck. No good? 
I'm passionate about "Bolognese" what can I say!Seriously it f
ks me off that Italian dishes often get bastardised in foreign countries, e.g. cream in carbonara and mushrooms in Bolognese.I'm all for new, fresh, creative cooking, but a traditional dish should be made the traditional way, it is part of our heritage after all.
More than happy to try revisited classical dishes but at least don't pretend like they are the authentic thing.
E.g. decomposed Ossobuco alla Milanese at Aimo e Nadia in Milan - exceptional and I would recommend if you ever get the chance to go.
More broadly, I feel Italian cuisine and wine is still perceived internationally as a cheap and cheerful option, when in reality we have a rich variety of very fine produce, loads of regional and/or creative dishes that go far beyond the aforementioned carbonara and bolognese.
Point is - we should be competing with the French in terms of international recognition and "status", but we're still the poor relation.
Not sure how I've abandoned the burger or dirty takeaway threads. I still browse very frequently, admittedly I hardly post (but believe me and by fat bod that my consumption of those items is stratospheric
)
I'm just a keen amateur trying new things and what I like, such as lean mince. I know it's better with higher fat but that's just me. I was never a big Italian food eater until we went to Rome years ago and the hotel recommended a tiny little restaurant run by two guys. Want a spirit-heres the bottle. Amazing food but they confuse anti pasta with main sizes
s off as overly opinionated on your good efforts.End of story,
Now you are wasting good keypresses you could use on saying how good my food is on him/her/pastamonster
PS If we had always cooked the traditional way we would still be eating a bone over a fire in a cave. .....
Edited by Gandahar on Saturday 30th March 15:10
matrignano said:
matrignano said:
Yes only that
They are called Spaghetti
The sauce is called Ragu alla Bolognese
It should take more like 2-3 hours to cook a proper Ragu
No Herbs in ragu
ETA I didn't see the subsequent recipeThey are called Spaghetti
The sauce is called Ragu alla Bolognese
It should take more like 2-3 hours to cook a proper Ragu
No Herbs in ragu
Lean beef is wrong
Pancetta is acceptable but there should be a bit more pork in there (I do a 60/40 beef/pig ratio, throw in a couple sausages?)
Onions but where is the rest of soffritto?
Garlic I'll allow but in tiny quantities
No mushrooms
No chopped tomatoes (maybe some passata)
Milk is missing
Too much cheese
not really sure why people are getting so exacting over spag bol. It's like Italian Tikka Masala: just a bit of an overdone UK interpretation of something that doesn't actually exist.
https://www.euronews.com/2019/03/11/mayor-of-bolog...
but in any case it is one of those dishes that everyone in UK has their own take on. Anyone that can cook can make an amazing tasting dish they might call spag bol from cupboard ingredients and no requirement for anything too exotic. I don't think it's something to get too purist about.
Carbonara is a different matter though...
https://www.euronews.com/2019/03/11/mayor-of-bolog...
but in any case it is one of those dishes that everyone in UK has their own take on. Anyone that can cook can make an amazing tasting dish they might call spag bol from cupboard ingredients and no requirement for anything too exotic. I don't think it's something to get too purist about.
Carbonara is a different matter though...
Ragù Bolognese
Soffritto
Onion, celery, carrots—a.k.a. soffritto.
The combination of diced onion, celery, and carrots cooked in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper is called a soffritto in Italian cuisine. It is the base of many Italian dishes, including Bolognese sauce.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are not a main ingredient in Italian Bolognese sauce. Authentic Italian Bolognese is very different from the bright red, tomato-based sauce most of us grew up eating. It is, rather, a meat-centric, rich, creamy sauce. Italian Bolognese sauce contains a small quantity (relative to volume) of tomatoes for taste, but it remains a meat sauce, first and foremost.
Ground Meat
Use lean ground meat. I like to use a combination of half beef and half veal, but you can use one or the other or both.
Pancetta
You need diced pancetta for this recipe. You’ll usually find pre-packaged, thinly sliced pancetta in supermarkets, but that won’t work in Bolognese sauce because you’re looking for not only the added flavor but texture too.
Milk
Most of us aren’t used to adding milk to meat sauces, yet in Bolognese, it is the surprise, miraculous ingredient that gives rich body to the sauce and makes the meat so tender.
Seasonings
This recipe (perhaps surprisingly) does not contain any aromatic herbs or spices. It is frowned upon to add bay leaves or red pepper flakes to Italian Bolognese sauce. The only flavorings in this recipe are sea salt and black pepper.
Pasta
This is a hearty sauce that should be combined with pasta that can support its weight. In Italy, it is often served with flat, wide tagliatelle pasta. You can also serve the sauce with tagliatelle, linguine, or spaghetti.
Cheese
Use only freshly grated Emilia-Romagna. The sharp, salty flavor of the Italian cheese has no substitute and is a perfect match to the meaty sauce.
Ingredients
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
¼ cup (60 ml) butter
1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced
4 small, or 2 large, carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (250 ml) diced pancetta (about 4.5 oz/125 g)
1 tsp (5 ml) sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2.2 lb (1 kg) lean ground meat (beef, veal, or a combination)
1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine
2 cups (500 ml) whole (3.25%) or partly skimmed (2%) milk
300g Passata
1 cup (250 ml) beef broth
To serve
Freshly grated Emilia-Romagna
Dried pappardelle, tagliatelle, linguine, or spaghetti
Fresh basil leaves (optional)
Method
In a large pot set over medium heat, add the butter and the oil and stir until the butter is melted. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and half of the salt (½ tsp/2 ml) and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft but not browned.
Add the diced pancetta and cook for a further 10 minutes, until the pancetta is golden and crisp.
Add a third of the ground meat, stirring and breaking lumps with a wooden spoon between each addition. Adding the meat gradually allows the excess water and liquid to evaporate, which is key for the meat to caramelize properly. Once the meat is cooked, add a third more of the meat, stirring and breaking lumps as you go. Repeat with the remaining meat. When the meat is cooked and no lumps remain, set a timer to 10 minutes and keep cooking the meat, stirring from time to time. You want the meat to caramelize and even become crispy in spots. Golden bits of meat will stick to the bottom of the pot, which you will deglaze with white wine later. Watch over the pan at all times as you don’t want the meat to burn.
Add the white wine into the sauce pan. With a wooden spoon, scrape all the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Push the meat all around to make sure you scrape it all off. By the time you’re finished, the wine will be evaporated (2 to 3 minutes). Be careful not to let the meat stick to the pot again—lower the heat if necessary.
Add the milk, passata, beef broth, remaining salt (1/2 tsp/2 ml) and a generous grinding of black pepper. Bring to a boil and then lower to the lowest heat setting. Half-cover and simmer gently for 2.5 to 3 hours, setting yourself a timer to give the sauce a stir every half hour. Start monitoring the texture of the sauce after 2 hours: the sauce is ready when it’s thick like oatmeal. It should look rich and creamy, and no liquid should separate from the sauce when you push the sauce to one side. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Serving
Reheat the sauce, if needed. Add 1 generous tablespoon (15 ml) of finely grated Emilia-Romagna-per serving straight into the sauce, stirring to melt and incorporate the cheese. For example, if reheating enough sauce to serve 4 people, add 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup/60 ml) finely grated Emilia-Romagna to the sauce. This addition will boost the flavor of the sauce and produce an incredibly creamy result.
Cook the pasta of your choice according to the manufacturer’s instructions, then drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Add the sauce and stir, with tongs, to evenly distribute the sauce and coat the pasta with it.
Divide between warm bowls. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired, and more Parmigiano-Reggiano, to taste.
Soffritto
Onion, celery, carrots—a.k.a. soffritto.
The combination of diced onion, celery, and carrots cooked in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper is called a soffritto in Italian cuisine. It is the base of many Italian dishes, including Bolognese sauce.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are not a main ingredient in Italian Bolognese sauce. Authentic Italian Bolognese is very different from the bright red, tomato-based sauce most of us grew up eating. It is, rather, a meat-centric, rich, creamy sauce. Italian Bolognese sauce contains a small quantity (relative to volume) of tomatoes for taste, but it remains a meat sauce, first and foremost.
Ground Meat
Use lean ground meat. I like to use a combination of half beef and half veal, but you can use one or the other or both.
Pancetta
You need diced pancetta for this recipe. You’ll usually find pre-packaged, thinly sliced pancetta in supermarkets, but that won’t work in Bolognese sauce because you’re looking for not only the added flavor but texture too.
Milk
Most of us aren’t used to adding milk to meat sauces, yet in Bolognese, it is the surprise, miraculous ingredient that gives rich body to the sauce and makes the meat so tender.
Seasonings
This recipe (perhaps surprisingly) does not contain any aromatic herbs or spices. It is frowned upon to add bay leaves or red pepper flakes to Italian Bolognese sauce. The only flavorings in this recipe are sea salt and black pepper.
Pasta
This is a hearty sauce that should be combined with pasta that can support its weight. In Italy, it is often served with flat, wide tagliatelle pasta. You can also serve the sauce with tagliatelle, linguine, or spaghetti.
Cheese
Use only freshly grated Emilia-Romagna. The sharp, salty flavor of the Italian cheese has no substitute and is a perfect match to the meaty sauce.
Ingredients
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
¼ cup (60 ml) butter
1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced
4 small, or 2 large, carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (250 ml) diced pancetta (about 4.5 oz/125 g)
1 tsp (5 ml) sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2.2 lb (1 kg) lean ground meat (beef, veal, or a combination)
1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine
2 cups (500 ml) whole (3.25%) or partly skimmed (2%) milk
300g Passata
1 cup (250 ml) beef broth
To serve
Freshly grated Emilia-Romagna
Dried pappardelle, tagliatelle, linguine, or spaghetti
Fresh basil leaves (optional)
Method
In a large pot set over medium heat, add the butter and the oil and stir until the butter is melted. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and half of the salt (½ tsp/2 ml) and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft but not browned.
Add the diced pancetta and cook for a further 10 minutes, until the pancetta is golden and crisp.
Add a third of the ground meat, stirring and breaking lumps with a wooden spoon between each addition. Adding the meat gradually allows the excess water and liquid to evaporate, which is key for the meat to caramelize properly. Once the meat is cooked, add a third more of the meat, stirring and breaking lumps as you go. Repeat with the remaining meat. When the meat is cooked and no lumps remain, set a timer to 10 minutes and keep cooking the meat, stirring from time to time. You want the meat to caramelize and even become crispy in spots. Golden bits of meat will stick to the bottom of the pot, which you will deglaze with white wine later. Watch over the pan at all times as you don’t want the meat to burn.
Add the white wine into the sauce pan. With a wooden spoon, scrape all the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Push the meat all around to make sure you scrape it all off. By the time you’re finished, the wine will be evaporated (2 to 3 minutes). Be careful not to let the meat stick to the pot again—lower the heat if necessary.
Add the milk, passata, beef broth, remaining salt (1/2 tsp/2 ml) and a generous grinding of black pepper. Bring to a boil and then lower to the lowest heat setting. Half-cover and simmer gently for 2.5 to 3 hours, setting yourself a timer to give the sauce a stir every half hour. Start monitoring the texture of the sauce after 2 hours: the sauce is ready when it’s thick like oatmeal. It should look rich and creamy, and no liquid should separate from the sauce when you push the sauce to one side. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Serving
Reheat the sauce, if needed. Add 1 generous tablespoon (15 ml) of finely grated Emilia-Romagna-per serving straight into the sauce, stirring to melt and incorporate the cheese. For example, if reheating enough sauce to serve 4 people, add 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup/60 ml) finely grated Emilia-Romagna to the sauce. This addition will boost the flavor of the sauce and produce an incredibly creamy result.
Cook the pasta of your choice according to the manufacturer’s instructions, then drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Add the sauce and stir, with tongs, to evenly distribute the sauce and coat the pasta with it.
Divide between warm bowls. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired, and more Parmigiano-Reggiano, to taste.
6th Gear said:
Ragù Bolognese
Im doing the Jamie Oliver version later today and going to use some as the basis of a lasage, the rest is going in the freezer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gF8d-fitkU
I have already bought the ingredients so I am not changing anything now.
6th Gear said:
With your culinary skills, I’m sure it will be delicious Cotty.
first time making ragu and lasagne from scratch (ok the white sauce is purchased) so you never knowthebraketester said:
Celery 
I don't really like carrots but they are going in and probably won't be able to taste them in the final dish
Daughter No. 2 came round for tea last night and she's a veggie 
I've never cooked vegetarian food before apart from a Jacket Potato because I'm normal, so decided to experiment.
Cheesy potato and mushroom pasties.
Then daughter No. 2 says she doesn't like pastry.
I give you, cheesy potato and mushroom pastie, and a cheesy potato and mushroom risotto
I've never cooked vegetarian food before apart from a Jacket Potato because I'm normal, so decided to experiment.
Cheesy potato and mushroom pasties.
Then daughter No. 2 says she doesn't like pastry.
I give you, cheesy potato and mushroom pastie, and a cheesy potato and mushroom risotto
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