Spaghetti al Bolognese

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MarionW

Senior Cook
Joined
Aug 28, 2006
Messages
116
Location
SWVirginia
Ok, Ironchef's Bolognese looks sooo inticing (Member's Photos). I sent a private message begging for his recipe, but apparently life is quite busy for him at present (poor guy, I know the feeling). Does anyone have his recipe or a recipe you are willing to share?

Marion
 
The recipe depends on what you mean by Bolognese Sauce. It's become something of a generic term for meat sauce, at least in the U.S., but classic "real" Bolognese Sauce is something a little more specific.

Marcella Hazan's recipe for Bolognese meat sauce in her wonderful cookbook, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, includes only 1/2 cup onion, 2/3 cup celery, and 2/3 cup carrots, which she cooks in a tablespoon of oil and 3 tablespoons of butter, before adding 3/4 pound of ground chuck and a little salt and black pepper. She then adds a cup of whole milk, saying to cook the meat in the milk before adding a cup of wine and then 1.5 cups of plum tomatoes to "protect it from the acidic bite of the latter." Most interesting, she uses no garlic, basil, or oregano, just "about 1/8 teaspoon" of freshly grated nutmeg. And she says to simmer it all for at least 3 hours.

I've never made anything from any of her cookbooks (and I think I have them all) that wasn't wonderful, very authentically Italian.
 
I would take what fryboy posted but cut the meat half with veal (very traditional). The milk is for sure as is the long simmer time. The ragout should melt in the mouth and coat the pasta rather than smother it. The nutmeg is (and sometimes even a little cinnamon) is very authentic as is the absence of herbs. This is MEAT sauce, not sauce with meat. Try it, you will like it.
 
Gentlemen and/or ladies,

The information you have provided is quite useful and will be seriously considered before my trek to the grocer tomorrow evening. I am grateful.

Warm regards,
Marion
 
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