Mumsnet Talk

making spag bol tonight.

i want to try and sneak in some veggies.

what do you do to make a mouth watering bolognaise? im heading out in half an hour to buy ingredients.

Not in the slightest bit authentic, but this is what I do:

1. Make tomato sauce in BIG pan, from 2 chopped and fried onions and garlic, and vegetables: 2 or 3 carrots, 2 courgettes (peeled, because otherwise I wonder if the veg might be spotted!)2 peppers (both red, or mix of red/orange/yellow). The veg I will either have roasted first, or if putting into vat while still raw, will chop finely and sweat for a long time, stirring. Maybe 20 mins? Until v soft. Then add about 4 tins of whole (not chopped) toms, perhaps a bottle of passata, big squirt of tom puree, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt, pepper, basil (dried) and, if I have any open, red wine. Simmer. If it needs to be smooth for veggie haters, whizz.

2. Fry mince in another pan. When brown, add as much or little tom sauce as you like. Simmer for ages. An hour, maybe.

3. Freeze the remaining tom sauce in various sizes of yoghurt pots, ready to defrost for pasta or just as an accompanying sauce for (e.g.) fishcakes, potatoes and veg,

wow, not authentic, but it really must be something for the effort you put into it.

it MUST have worcestershire sauce

Celery, carrots, onions, garlic, bacon. Mince (pork and beef), tinned toms x 2,seasoning, cook for yonks THEN add loads of grated parmesan, and fresh basil leaves.

It's basically Jamies one.

I wouldn't personally put peppers in a bologese, but hey ho.

Wow. Lio's is impressive.

I almost always grate carrots into my bolognaise for secret veggie uptake (although I always worry that all that long cooking kills any of the nutrients anyway). I have a lot of friends that fry chopped mushrooms with the onions too.

Personally, I always add a bit of wine (red or white) and I sometimes put a little beef stock in as well.

Be generous with Italian style herbs (fresh is best but dried are fine too) so I always put in dried oregano plus chopped basil (dried ifI don't have fresh). Also majoram if there's any lying around. And more fresh basil just before serving. Delicious.

celery, carrots, onions chopped v fine, sweated for ages. add mince, brown, lots tinned toms, pinch sugar, salt, pepper, oregano. cook for min 2 hours pref 4.

NO onions. It's just wrong.

CARROT and celery good.

WINE

will i be eating before 7 tonight? lol

when you say sweat, what's that then?

I keep a bag of spinach in the freezer (buy it already frozen in Sainsbury's) and chuck in 4-6 cubes when making spag bol. Gives it a nice depth of flavour and increases the iron levels!

Onions garlic celery bacon sweat in olive oil.Fry mince and add tinned tomatoes decent ones tomato puree oxo cube red wine sugar simmer for HOURS!

ok change of plan,

im making spag bol tomorrow night and starting it at lunchtime.

these all sound lovely.

curious about no onions though

sweat = fry/soften without browning

onions are fine, really

but I wouldn't put peppers in

you only have a single vote for no onions...

yes to onions, no to peppers

right, got it...i think

big spoonful of sugar

Nice with mushrooms in.

NO onions.

honest, try it

The most important thing is to cook it for a long time. I'd say 2 hours once all the ingredients are in the pot.

I believe authentic recipes have milk in them?

For a slightly poncier version I start with pancetta and put grated carrots in after the onion/garlic stage.

Herbs I use are dried oregano and bayleaves and fresh basil.

A glass of red wine (in the pot ) is a nice touch.

I always add some Worcestershire Sauce and use chicken stock rather than beef stock.
The longer you cook it the better it is.

worcester sauce = cottage pie

Bay leaves. Bibbity is right. I can't believe I forgot to mention those. Absolutely essential. If you don't have any, go out and buy some.

More ragu than Bolognaise but here goes, it is absolutely delicious.

Minced Beef or Lamb
4 diced rashers of streaky bacon
Diced Carrots
Diced Celery
Finely chopped Onions
2 x Large Portobello Mushrooms Also diced
2 cloves of garlic
1 Jar/Carton of Passata
1 glass of white or red wine, I prefer white, makes sauce a bit lighter
200 ml Beef or chicken stock
200 ml cream or milk (cream best)
Seasoning

Fry onions, garlic and bacon until soft. Remove from pan and put aside. Fry carrots and celery till soft then add mince, continue to fry until brown. Add rest of ingredients including set aside garlic, onions and bacon, except for cream and simmer gently for a couple of hours. Add a little more stock if it becomes too dry. Half an hour before serving add the cream a bit at a time.

Unbeliveably gorgeous. Usually serve it on a wider pasta like Tagliatelle or Papperdelle. Grated parmasan to sprinkle on at the table.

Oh yes bayleaves!

just a dash mwff, not enough to dominate

also i usually splodge a bit of milk in @ end of long, slow cooking {heathen}