Slow-Cooked Spaghetti Bolognese
Spaghetti Bolognese is probably, to the word outside of Italy, one of the most famous dishes regarded as “authentic” Italian food that is well… not as Italian as you might think. Truth be told, you probably won’t even find Spagethi Bolognese anywhere in Italy. This might come as a surprise to some, but the dish is actually a take on the classic “Ragù alla Bolognese” which merely refers to a slow-cooked meat sauce that contains tomatoes and is often served with tagliatelle, gnocchi or lasagne, but never spaghetti.
That said, let’s move on the what makes the best, authentic “Ragù alla Bolognese” (and serve it over spaghetti). Firstly, I believe that the secret, which is not so much a secret as it is given away in the meaning of “ragù”, is to slow cook the sauce for the better part of 2 hours but never less. Secondly, there is no substitute for quality, fresh ingredients, including tomatoes, celery, herbs and ground beef. These form the basis of an exceptional ragù. Lastly, if you find yourself able to muster the the energy and will to make your own pasta, you certainly won’t regret the trouble. There is simply nothing like homemade pasta.
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Slow-Cooked Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 large celery stalk chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 500 g ground beef
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup white or red wine
- 800 g canned tomatoes with juice
- 2 cup cherry/ rosa tomatoes halved
- 2 tsp fresh oregano finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh basil plus some for garnish finely chopped (keep some in tact for garnishing)
- 250 ml vegetable stock
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- shaved parmesan to garnish
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a heavy based caserole and over medium heat, heat the olive oil and butter. Sauté the onions, celery and garlic for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Turn up the heat and add the ground beef. Brown the meat for 5 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Add the tomato paste and fry for 2 minutes more. Deglaze the pan (scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the caserole) with the wine and cook for 1 minute.
- Add in the canned tomatoes, halved tomatoes, herbs and cover with the stock. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook low and slow for a minimum 1.5 to 2 hours and up to 3 hours. The longer you cook the ragù, the thicker and richer the sauce becomes and the flavor will deepen. Stir occasionally and make sure there is enough liquid so that the sauce won't burn. If the sauce becomes too dry, add more stock or water.
- Taste and season the ragù. As the tomatoes are quite acidic, I always like to add some brown sugar to counteract. Balance is everything.
- Serve over al dente cooked tagliatelle or spaghetti. Grate over some parmesan and garnish with fresh basil leaves. I like to serve it with a fresh, green, herb salad.
