Spagetti bolognese

[lovejoy]

I can't make this from scratch I don't know how so I use jars of ready made sauces. For a change I tried Loyd Grossman's spag bol sauce, it's absolute rubbish, it's not a thick tomatoey sauce it's really watery.

Worst I've ever had, If you have tried it what did you think?

[hammerman]

It's the easiest thing to make from scratch and you can "tweak" it to suit your taste.

In supermarkets, you can buy cartons or jars of passata....sieved tomatoes. You will need a carton of this. You will also need a small bottle of red wine,

That will give you your basic sauce.

To that, i add a squirt of tomato ketchup,
some chopped garlic
a few slugs of worcester sauce
generous sprinkling of oregano or thyme
a few pinches of sugar if needed

Then i add mushrooms, peas, onions and even baked beans

Chuck all the above in a large pot or wok with your browned mince and allow to simmer for half an hour until the sauce is reduced.

keep tasting it throughout.

Good luck

[4getmenot]

Instead of ketchup try tomato puree thicken it up

Peas!! Yuk

[Androcles]

Make it properly - it is really worthwhile.

It is one of those recipes where every Mama has her own tweek and none of them will agree, some adding several kinds of meat, such a chicken levers, so here is our version.

For Four

1lb best beef mince
2 medium Onions, finely chiopped
4 to 6 ozs Mushrooms finely chopped
Tin of tomatoes or half a dozen fresh finely chopped (or use passata)
Stick celery finely chopped
small carrot grated
4 - 6 cloves of garlic chopped
Glass of red wine
1/2 pint beef stock (use stock cubes or Oxo if you don't have fresh.
Tomato Puree
Olive oil
Seasoning

Fry the onion and garlic until starting to soften, then add the celery and carrot and fry for a few minutes more. Move to the side of the pan and add the beef to the pan and fry, turning the beef over and breaking up with a spatula until the "grains" are separate. Add in the mushrooms and fry until soft. Throw in the red wine and cook till gone. Add the tomatoes and stir in, followed by the stock, and seasoning.

Cook for about 30 minutes until the bolo sauce is still moist but thick. Boil tha spaghetti according to the instructions, drain and return to the pan. Pour in the sauce and mix, before serving. Serve with a green salad and plenty of freshly grated parmesan, Delish!

[wiggal]

Hi Lovejoy,

I have also tried the spag bol sauce of his and wasnt a fan either! His Tomato and chilli (I think it is!) pasta sauce is gorgeous! Especially with some chopped up onion, sweetcorn & cheese in!

[ummmm]

I make mine like Androcles. You can make loads of the sauce and freeze it. You will then have your own ragu.

[heathfield]

Pasta sauces ought to match the pasta. Thin strands, like vermicelli or thin spaghetti shoud be accoompanied by a thin sauce. Thicker and hollow shapes, and those that form pockets, are used with thicker and chunkier sauces.

[jake-the-peg]

I'd add some chopped up streaky bacon.

Go on try! this was one of the very first things I learnt to cook at college

[filthiestfis]

Fluff ing hell bolognaise with peas or baked beans. What is the world coming to.

[grasscarp]

Androcles recipe has everything a spag bol needs. Will try it out. It is very similar to what I do anyway. (and as I am married to an Italian would not dare add baked beans or peas or anything else at all really). Out of all the pastas my favourites are linguine and penne.

[Jemisa]

Mine is roughly the same as Androcles recipe but leave out the carrots and celery (put those in a stew) but a must is a teaspoonful of cinnamon powder, gives it oomph and aroma.

Aunty Jem.