I really fancy a hearty spaghetti Bolognese! Tips

[CallingFromLondon]

Does anyone have any tips? How do you make yours?

All I'm looking to make is a nice, simply and hearty (very yummy), spaghetti Bolognese - With cheddar cheese on top

Dice onion.
Finely grate carrot.
Brown onions
Add carrots
Add pork mince (pork is by far the best meat for bolognese) and brown.
Throw in a few tins of good quality chopped toatoes.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Generous slosh of wine.
Leave on a low heat for an hour or so.
Serve with good quality tagliatelle instead of spaghetti (tastes much better).

I add chicken livers, but that’s no good if it needs to be veggie. They make it taste amazing. Might do that tomorrow now it’s in my head.

I was just coming on to say chicken livers!

If you are wanting a veggie one, I do make a pretty dam good one.

Two options.

Option 1 - basically follow Jamie Oliver’s recipe for pregnant joules sausage pasta but use quirk mince and substitute anything else meaty out like veg stock cube.

This is delish but not your trad soag bol.

For a more trad soag bol

Dice onion, carrot, red peppers and mushrooms.
Fry with garlic and oregano.
Tin of toms.
Quorn mince.
Red wine.
Veg stock cube crumbled in
Bit of sugar, balsamic and soy sauce
Bay leaves
Pinch of chilli flakes
Cook slow and long.

I normally do mine with minced beef, but today I've made a quorn mince one. Really surprised at how 'meaty' it is, although the texture of quorn is slightly different to beef.

2 onions, shit loads of garlic, two tins of chopped tomatoes, Tom purée, basil, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and an oxo cube.

With be smothered with cheese later!

Also a tiny bit of smoked paprika can add depth

Definitely cook low and slow - always cook the day before you want to eat it. I think a bolognaise sauce has to have...

V small dice of onion and carrot (and celery if I have any)
Bacon/lardons of some description
Mince (obvs!)
Mushrooms (sliced, not chopped)
Red wine and 1 tin of toms per 400g meat - I reckon that helps with the heartiness - it's not too tomatoey. A bit of tom puree helps it along too.
Worcestershire sauce and/or a teaspoon of marmite. I don't ever use stock (isn't it just salt and flavourings?) so these act as a good substitute.
Salt/pepper right at the end, once you know if it needs it - if you've used marmite, it may not.
Dried oregano
Splash of milk at the end

I think the method of cooking doesn't matter too much if you're cooking for ages. For years I used to sweat the veg first before adding the mince, but once I was short on time and bunged the mince and veg in together (so the veg cooked in the fat which came from the mince - no oil needed), and as long as the total cook time is a couple of hours, I really can't taste the difference. I do tend to cook the bacon first though - it renders the fat out, and gives a nicer flavour.

I want bolognaise for tea now! When it's done well, you can't beat it.

Delia's ragu with chicken livers is amazing, but I now use brisket instead of mince.
It's so rich you only need a v small amount, we have it with pappardelle instead of mince, with a salad on the side to cut through the richness.

Do you mince your own brisket or do you cook it until it just falls apart of its own accord?

A teaspoon of sugar cuts through bitterness of the tinned tomatoes.Recent tip given to me.

oh yes, I always add sugar (or honey) to tomato-based pasta sauces. And use passata rather than tinned tomatoes.

ooh my favourite is Mary Berry's recipe - lovely and hearty with carrots and red wine and celery. Yum!

I always roast some garlic and baby Plum tomatoes in the oven while cooking the rest and add towards the end with a teaspoon of sugar and loads of fresh basil.

After eating proper Bolognese ragu last year, bringing the recipe home, and eating nothing but that since, reading the PP with oxo cubes, worcestershire sauce, garlic etc are making me irrationally angry haha.

Add in sundries tomatoes! They are a game changer!

me too! Red peppers and mushrooms! I do not think so.

Red wine. Completely enhances the flavours and you can drink the rest of the bottle whilst making during dinner

When you cook the onion, cook it for ageees on low. Don't let it brown. Add a splash of water if you need to.

When you're cooking the whole thing, cook it aggeeess - like 2-3 hrs on low if you can.

bellini would you mind sharing your recipe?

Wheeesht
Slow cook it until it falls apart.

This recipe is the best

antonio-carluccio.co.uk/recipes/tagliatelle-al-ragu-bolognese/

Don’t use spaghetti- it is totally the wrong shape for bolognese.

You can use miso instead of Oxo cubes. I think it's veggie.

Gousto have a great recipe for a mushroom bolognese, it has the richness of a traditional bolognese rather than being light like a lot of the veggie alternatives.

www.gousto.co.uk/cookbook/vegetarian-recipes/chestnut-mushroom-bolognese

Traditional bolognaise/ragu sauce has only a small portion (indeed if any) of tomatoes. Also peppers and mushrooms and oxo cubes have no place in the dish. I say this as an expert - an expert in watching Gino Di Campo cook on tv. I've never made it in my life. :-)

Cheddar? CHEDDAR?! clutches pearls

@Pootles34 will do when I get home from work. Everyone should experience it

Thank you bellini! I keep meaning to get round to doing the one in the Silver Spoon - i think chicken livers, then 50/50 beef and pork mince - but never gotten round to it! I wonder if yours is similar?