Just about everyone has their favorite pasta bolognaise sauce recipe.
There must be hundreds of different ways of cooking this sauce, but the one thing that remains constant is our unwavering devotion to it.
It just never goes out of fashion, does it?
I think one of the main reasons is that it is so versatile.
You can cook it for hours and end up with a divine, rich sauce.
Cook it in a hurry and still enjoy its lucsious meatiness. Use veal and pork instead of beef.
Add wine for added depth, or milk for creaminess...it's endless.
This recipe takes bolognaise sauce back to basics. It's a simple base you can use just as it is or tinker with to get your own version for your family.
pasta bolognaise sauce
PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 45 to 60 MINUTES
SERVES: 4
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
500g minced beef(approx 1 pound ground beef)
1 large jar of good tomato pasta sauce (about 700g or 25 ounces)
½ cup of good beef stock
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
Take a heavy, large frying pan and heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook gently until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir it constantly so the garlic doesn't burn.
Turn up the heat and add the minced meat. Stir it around until it's evenly browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce, beef stock, and bay leaves. Stir it well, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer.
Check it every now and then and give it a stir. Let it simmer for 45 minutes or so.
Just before serving find and discard the bay leaves and add salt and pepper ot taste. Toss the sauce through your freshly cooked pasta.
Serve in your favorite pasta bowls with a scattering of fresh parsley and shaved parmesan cheese over the top.
Note:
This is just the sauce recipe. You'll need to decide on the pasta you want to use with it and how much you will need. Try it with spaghetti.
The recipe will make enough for 4 people as a main course. Double, or triple the quantities and freeze for another day. It's best eaten the day after you make it...if you can wait that long.
Pasta Bolognaise Sauce: a family favorite.
