spag bol - what do you put in yours?

[juicychops]

im looking for some inspiration to make mine a bit different to the norm

mainly i chuck in mince, onions and mushrooms and jar or Ragu

what different veg?

what is lamb or turkey mince like in it?

I use a white Linguini for SB, would use wholemeal but haven't found it anywhere yet.

Am going to try the lentil version next week.

Not read the whole thread yet but mince, beefstock, tinned toms, tom puree, onions, garlic, chopped up peppers, courgette, mushrooms, grated carrot, celery, few lentils,

Anyone tried adding some finely chopped anchovies and a couple of squares of dark chocolate? It really enhances the richness of the sauce.

Occasionally a touch of truffle oil if I have it, good for enriching the sauce.

marmite
we are veggie so use quorn.

tomato ketchup

I know someone who used to put cocoa powder in his sauce

I can't eat tomatoes (fresh or tinned) and can only use certain purees (sadly the cheap and nasty ones) so mine is slightly different.

Beef or lamb mince
Onion
Red pepper
Yellow or orange pepper (sweeter)
Mushrooms
Garlic
Teaspoon of Marmite
Colemans or Knoor packet spag bol mix but only using 1/2 the water (gives a tomato zing without the tomatoes)
Liberal squish of tomato ketchup
Splash of Worcester Sauce

I tend to make it V quickly making sure everything cooked and hot a couple of hours before I need it then rewarm it slowly 1/2 hr before eating, but I can get it all done in 20mins and it tastes fine.

None of my friends have questioned the no tomato thing and my ILs and DH etc all prefer it my way.

If DH is drinking bitter at home I'll add a glug of that too.

I use a recipe my mother gave me and then make enough to last two meals, using, in this order: olive oil, onion, garlic, diced bacon, a robust minced beef or pork, finely grated carrot, oregano, a grating of nutmeg, some black pepper, half a vegetable or chicken cube, italian chopped tomatoes, some extra liquid - water's fine, but a splash of red wine's cool - keep on a low simmer for three-quarters of an hour then add finely chopped fresh tomatoes when cooking the pasta, plus a bit of the pasta cooking water. Italian hard cheese grated on top and lots of black pepper finishes it off.

The second day my DH will use this as a base to make a chilli by adding kidney beans and extra peppers including chilli peppers. Our youngest (still in nappies) misses out on this if we decide to go for a hot one.

I sometimes add 2 cube of very good quality dark chocloate to the sauce as it really richens the flavour...(nicked the idea from a mexican cookbook for chilli con carne but works with spag boll too!)

For kids spag bol sauce, I use carrots, black olives, tin toms, red onion, sweet potato, carrot and red onion and whizz it all down to a lovely,floavoursome smooth passata, with a pinch of brown sugar and some oregano. The same kid who will never not ever eat onion, sweet potato etc in any other way, shape of form, will happily guzzle an adult size portion of spag bol with this sauce. Can also be used as pizza base topping (without the mince, obviously).

Onions and mince
Seasoning (salt, pepper, italian herbs)
Tomato puree
Red wine
Tinned tomatoes
Oxo cube
Bay leaves
Teaspoon of sugar
More seasoning

onion
garlic
carrot
celery
minced beef
bacon
red wine
milk
herbs
chopped tomator\es

once all meat browned with veg sauteed add milk and cook until meat has absorbed it, then add wine.. plenty of it and cook unitl it too has absorbed, add chopped tomatoes and then put on low heat until meat very very tender - about 2 hours for a big pan.

Olive oil
Butter
Onion
Garlic
Pancetta
Carrot
Celery
Lean mince
Red wine
Tomato concentrate
Nutmeg
Stock
Milk

Cook for a very long time over very low heat.

So juicychops... suitably confused as to what to add to your bolognaise?

definately!

too much choice now!

lol

I must try adding the dark chocolate, I've read about it but never tried it.

I roast onions, courgettes, peppers (any colour), aubergines, garlic (all drizzled with olive oil) in the top right oven of Aga until nicely charred. Meantime saute onion, choppped garlic and a big handful of fresh chopped basil in olive oil. When soft add ground beef and two cartons of creamed tomatoes. Combine charred roastewd veg and meat/tomato mixture and you have the perfect bol sauce for spag bol, lasagne or whatever. A red oxo and a glass of red wine makes it even better but I do not add these if I am giving it to my 1 year old. Serve with masses of hot spaghetti drizzled with olive oil, pelnty of freshly chopped parsely and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

mine is cooking at the moment!
Fry onions,garlic,celery,bacon then add beef. Add milk and cook 15 mins; add same quantity wine (7oz tonight!) and cook for same time. Then add tins tomatoes, worcester sauce, pepper, herbs, tomato puree and cook for 2 hours

Fry smoked bacon pieces or lardons. add finely chopped onion, celery, carrot and garlic till softened (I chop them in the blender so the kids can't see all the veggies going in) plus bayleaf. Add 1lb mince and brown. Add tblspn tomato puree and mix well for 1 min. Add 5ml beef stock, 5 ml red wine. Bring to boil then simmer on v low heat for 2 hrs, adding 2/3 tblspns milk every 20-30 mins. Season and add grated nutmeg at end.

When i first made it I couldn't believe how delicious it was, or the fact that i had made spag bol without using tinned toms or worcester sauce. That's the good thing about spag bol to - there are hundreds of recipes and they're all delish.

Choc sounds a good idea - it's fab in chilli together with cinnamon - what the Aztecs used apparently.

Or was it the Incas?

Who knew there was so much to say about spag bol?

FWIW I use lamb mince and tinned toms, plus onion, mushroom and any veg I have (peppers, celery, carrot even). Top tip is a pinch of brown sugar towards the end.

Never used Ragu or any similar, too expensive! Adad in my student veggie days I did it with red or brown lentils, no need to soak either IIRC.

Oh yes and always fry the mince first in its own fat and then drain off most of it, stops it being too greasy (sometimes an issue with lamb).