SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE RECIPE

Firstly, let me apologise to all of those who spell this dish as 'Spaghetti Bolognaise' - you are all wrong, it is 'Bolognese' not 'Bolognaise'! However, what we have come to accept as a traditional Italian recipe in this country is surprising wide of the mark.

In our fair and greenish land we tend to have our bolognese as a rich beefy sauce, fortified with a dash or more of red wine combined with a few, choice Italian herbs - garlic, oregano and basil. But you would be wrong! And how would I know this? Because I have heard it from the horse's mouth, namely Antonio Carluccio, OBE, OMRI - Italian chef, restaurateur and all-round Italian food expert! Not only that, it doesn't even have spaghetti in it - how foolish we are.

Antonio Carluccio's traditional Italian recipe for Spaghetti bolognese

Ingredients for four servings

500 grams of dried tagliatelle
250 grams of pork mince
250 grams of beef mince
1 x large onion chopped
1 1/2 x tin or 400 grams of chopped tomatoes
100 grams of tomato puree
50 ml of Olive oil - not virgin olive oil
1 x small glass of dry white wine - definitely not red wine!
a small block of Parmesan cheese
Do not use garlic, oregano or basil!

You will need a fairly large, heavy based pan with a lid for this recipe - you will find out why at the end.

Firstly, gently fry the chopped onion on a low heat in the olive oil. Do not overcook, just allow them to soften off. Add both the pork and the beef mince and again gently brown off. Pour in the dry white wine, then mix together with the chopped tomatoes and the tomato puree.

Once the ingredients have started to boil, immediately turn the heat down and simmer for between 2 and 3 hours with the lid on - do not allow the sauce to dry out and burn! That's right, I said 2 - 3 hours!

One the sauce is nearly completed, cook the tagliatelle for 10 minutes or so until it is 'al dente' - from Italian 'to the tooth' or 'to the bite', referring to the need to chew the pasta due to its firmness.

When the pasta is ready, drain then add to the sauce. Mix thoroughly and then your spaghetti bolognese is ready to serve, add grated Parmesan on top as required.

I love Antonio Carluccio and his best friend Gennaro Contaldo so check out the video clip I have added at the top of the page.

For related articles click onto the following links:
HOW TO GROW OREGANO FROM SEED
SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE