Authentic Bolognese Sauce

In Italy, its place of birth, it is Rag Bolognese. In France, it is sauce bolognaise. Whatever the name, this red meat sauce is a delicious, thick main ingredient to many Italian dishes. It hails from the city of Bologna, in Northern Italy. While we are used to opening cans and eating ready-made sauce mixes, each family in Bologna has its own bolognese sauce recipe, passed down from generation to generation. A common misconception about the sauce is that it is tomato based. While tomatoes are an important ingredient, the signature red coloring is due to the meat used. In reality, canned bolognese sauce and mixes bear little resemblance to the real and authentic bolognese sauce of Italy. So, put away the Italian sauce cans and read on, to learn how to make authentic bolognese sauce.

Authentic Bolognese Sauce Recipe
Ingredients

• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 large celery stalks, finely diced
• 4 small carrots, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, very finely diced
• 1 28 oz can of whole San Marzano tomatoes, diced(keep liquid as well)
• 120 g pancetta, diced into or inch cubes
• 1 kg ground meat (veal, pork or beef)
• 1 cup beef stock
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Salt and black pepper

To serve

• Butter
• Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• Pasta, pre cooked

Method: Heat a large saucepan at medium temperature and add oil. Melt butter in saucepan. Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic with a pinch of salt and saut for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add pancetta and cook for another 10 minutes, till vegetables are soft and pancetta is golden. Increase heat to high and add meat, a third at a time. Break lumps if any and stir between additions. When all the meat is brown and no lumps remain, set a timer for 15 minutes. Watch the pan, as the meat shouldn't burn. When some bits of meat stick to the bottom of the pan, then lower the heat to medium, and this should coincide with the 15 minute timer. Pour the white wine into the pan, and scrape all the meat bits stuck to the pan (use wooden spoon). The wine will evaporate in 2-3 minutes. If meat continues to stick to pan, lower heat. Add milk, tomatoes (with liquid), beef stock, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Bring to boil, then lower to lowest heat. Let sauce simmer for 4 hours, half-covered. Stir once in a while. If sauce starts to stick to bottom, lower heat or add a little more stock or water. The sauce should become thick, with an oil like base and not watery. Check salt and pepper quantity, add more if necessary. Bolognese sauce is made!

Serving: Reheat the sauce. Add a little butter and two tablespoons of grated Parmesan per serving. Drain pasta and put it in a plate. Spoon sauce over pasta, just to coat. This recipe serves 8. The remaining sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for several days.

Authentic Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients

• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 5 ounces assorted mushrooms (shiitake, brown), chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped
• cup red wine
• cup mascarpone cheese
• cup Parmesan
• 1 pound rigatoni pasta
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt

Method: In a small bowl, place porcini mushrooms and pour 1 cups of hot water over it. Set aside to let mushrooms soften. In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Add chopped vegetables, thyme, oregano , salt and pepper. Cook for about 6 minutes, till tender. Strain the porcini mushrooms, keep the liquid. Add porcini mushrooms, fresh mushrooms and tomato paste and cook. Stir to dissolve tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, till mushrooms become soft. Add mushroom liquid and red wine. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes, till the liquid content becomes half. Add mascarpone cheese and stir just until cheese is incorporated. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, at high heat. Add the pasta and cook till tender, for 8 - 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserve cup of cooking water and add to vegetable mixture. In a plate, place pasta and spoon some sauce over it. Toss with Parmesan and serve. Makes 6 servings.

Bolognese Sauce Making Tips

• This is a heavy sauce, so avoid using spaghetti for serving
• Pastas to be used: tagliatelle or pappardelle, rigatoni or farfalle
• Cook pasta in plenty of salted water, to get a good taste
• Try to use Parmesan cheese over cheddar for grating, as it gives a creamier and more authentic taste to the sauce
• Be patient, bolognese sauce is hearty and rich, so it needs to simmer well
• For a more refined taste, use kosher or sea salt
• You can add ground nutmeg, instead of garlic as a variation

These were some easy bolognese sauce recipes, for meat eaters and vegetarians alike. While the cooking time may seem long, the sauce needs to have a thick, oatmeal-like consistency, and this can happen only with proper simmering. The cooking process itself is actually easy and pretty basic. And once made, bolognese sauce can be preserved, so make large batches and store for quick usage in dishes. This sauce is used in a variety of Italian dishes like lasagna, and can even be eaten plain with garlic bread. So bring a feel of Northern Italy to your dining table, with this hearty, authentic bolognese sauce.