Everyone is bored with my bolognese, help me jazz it up [edited by MNHQ to correct typo]

[Crunchymum]

I follow (loosely) Gino D'Acampo's recipe so I start with sofritto / use pork and beef mince / wine

I add a few extra bits as well (he doesn't use garlic in it ) but everyone is fed up of it.

Any suggestions for improvements or alternative recipes?

Whatever recipe you use the key thing is cooking it properly, softening onions/soffrito takes much longer than most recipes allow, the meat needs to be properly browned, lardons and (inauthentic yeah but whatever) Worcestershire sauce give it richness, tomato purée (use more than you think) and any dried herbs need to be cooked off at the end of the frying off stage and before adding any liquids, and most of all it needs at least 3 hours slow cooking in the oven or on the hob (you won't get the Maillard reaction in a slow cooker).

Olive oil, minced beef, onion,garlic, carrot and celery few anchovy fillets (brown) then add tomato purée, woster? sauce, passatta, 2beef oxo cubes, mixed herbs. Simmer away in slow cooker-perfect!

Gizz 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Your op doesn't say if you use garlic, just that gino doesn't. Put in chopped fresh garlic and red chillies and basil, I use fresh leaves and dried basil as we love the herby taste.

I was just thinking that if they’re bored of what you’re cooking they could take a turn at making it themselves... although if they’re asking for it to be jizzed up I understand you not letting anyone else near it!

Red pesto would zhush it up

... Gizz 🙃

I add a Boursin or cream cheese. Did a cooking class many years ago in Sardinia and a tiny old lady did this for her incredible Ragu. I also avoid parmesan and instead use pecorino which is more tangy and feels 'fulfilling' (not sure how to describe, but a bit like a 'complete' flavour) with the creaminess of the sauce. Add garlic, but bake the bulb first for extra taste.

Omg. It's jazz it up. Jizz is a totally different thing which will not make people enjoy your bolognese.

I once put spinach in mine. Was really nice. I use spinach in curries too.

@PurpleDaisies

I got them in Sainsbury’s Raera. They’re Kallo brand. If I’m just cooking a small one, I use half or it can be a little salty. When I first used them dh couldn’t work out what was different but said it tasted lovely...without prompting! They’re great for risotto as well.

Thank you, I'm thinking it will be a cheaper alternative to dried porcini which I use in lots of things

pin.it/3Cd34i8
This is the recipe I use. Takes hours, but tastes amazing.
Uses quite a lot of milk, and white wine. So should be jizzy enough.

This is mine, made in the slow cooker, serves 4

I think it's jazz it up not jizz it up but each to their own

Beef mince
Loads of garlic
Loads of onions
Tomato purée
Passata
Finely cut carrots
Peppers
Black olives
Worcestershire sauce
Balsamic vinegar

Awww, I liked it better before the typo was corrected

Make meatballs instead. Cook onion, add to mince with salt and pepper, chopped parsley or thyme and a handful of breadcrumbs or dry semolina. Form into balls, fry in the onion pan until browned then transfer to an ovenproof dish, pour over a tin of tomatoes that you have mashed down a bit then bake until tomato sauce cooked.

I used to make these with lamb mince and mint too.

spicy chorizo, chili flakes or chili oil

maybe some cooler flavours like sour cream or a mild cheese on top?

Mushrooms, carrots, peas if you really want to offend italians and make it 'Jizzy'

Add half a jar of roasted red peppers, chopped up.
And Worcester sauce.

Also look up San Francisco garlic spaghetti- super super simple, it goes down a treat as a quick dinner. It only takes as long as the spaghetti takes to cook plus a minute or two so it's quick too! You can add chicken to it maybe or serve with salad/garlic bread.

This guy makes a great one

Jamie Oliver's recipe has gone down well in our house but I start with soffritto to get some veggies in.

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/spaghetti-bolognese/

Is the OP dying quietly under a rock somewhere?

Completely OT but if you hear someone wearing camouflage clothing and carrying long range lenses refer to 'jizz', don't assume the worst.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jizz_(birding)

Sorry op, thats made me laugh.

To jazz it up please don't add gizz.

I'd use passata, purée, wine, oregano and basil, garlic, onions and peppers.

I use Jamie Oliver's oven roasted 5-veg pasta sauce, but add more veg (10 last time: leeks, red onion, red peppers, courgettes, broccoli stalks, parsnip, butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, garlic & tomatoes), red wine, Worcestershire Sauce & Balsamic Vinegar.

realfood.tesco.com/recipes/roasted-5-veg-sauce.html

Then I blitz it up using a stick blender, portion & freeze. Had it tonight in fact.

Maybe do the sauce but serve it differently? Lasagna; Cannelloni, Sloppy Joes?