Spaghetti Bolognese Done My Way   by Paul D. Brown

in Food / Recipes    (submitted 2011-02-03)

Spaghetti Bolognese or spaghetti with meat sauce as it is commonly known in some places is one of the most loved dishes on the planet. I don’t think I know anybody who doesn’t relish the moment when they see a large plate of pasta with that lovely meaty red sauce put in front of them. There are a lot of ways to make this dish, this is my recipe. It is the result of several different combinations tried and tested over the years to suit my palate and that of those around me who share my table. Hopefully, you will like it also. So here goes…

First, I’ll start with the ingredients and I will dispense with the typical measurements and give a general idea. Some people like more of one thing and less of another so try and test and see what you like best.

You will need:

- Two good handfuls of ground beef (lean but not extra lean)
- One good sized red or Spanish onion
- Seven cloves of garlic
- Three carrots
- Two celery stalks
- Two Bay leaves
- Rosemary, thyme, oregano and basil (equal portions of each)
- Olive oil
- One full cup of dry white wine
- One small tin/tube of tomato paste
- One large can of tomatoes (very important not to contain citric acid)
- One cup grated parmesan cheese
- Half a cup of fresh chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper and one tablespoon of sugar

In a large skillet heat your olive oil to medium temperature and add your chopped onions. Once they become translucent, add your garlic also finely chopped. It’s important not to cook the garlic too long as you don’t want it turning brown. Once it starts becoming slightly golden, add your ground beef to the pan stirring thoroughly until you have an even mix with the onion and garlic.

At this point, you want to raise the heat to high and cook until the meat is thoroughly brown at which point you need to make a small space in the middle of the pan, which I call :”the hot pocket” where you are going to add the tomato paste and fry it for approximately one minute while stirring it around constantly.
Next you want to mix it in with your ground beef and add the dry wine to the mixture. Stir until the wine has evaporated and add your carrots and celery finely chopped. Cook this mixture once again, for approximately 2 minutes at which point you want to add salt, pepper and a good teaspoon of sugar to the mixture. You can now add your can of tomatoes which you have crushed by hand (not by a blender) and reduce your heat to a low medium. Add the rest of your spices and another half cup of dry wine, your Bay leaf. Cover and let it simmer for no more than 45 minutes. Turn off your heat and once it cools down to room temperature, put it in the fridge for the evening. This sauce is way better the next day once all the different flavours have had time to blend together.

When you re-heat the sauce, cook it again for about 15 minutes on medium heat while your pasta is boiling. Once your pasta is ready and strained, keep a bit of the strained water in the bottom of your pot, put the pasta back in and add the sauce. Stir the mixture all the while on medium heat until they both become a steamy unit. Turn off the heat, add your parsley and parmesan cheese and enjoy! Of course, this meal is much better accompanied by a good bottle of red wine.

About the Author

Paul D. Brown writes about cooking and environmental issues. To read more, please visit http://comparegasandelectricitypricessite.com and http://www.greenenergyinfo.net and take a tour.