Pasta Bolognese
I could eat Bolognese forever, all day, everyday. It was one dish I looked forward to every week growing up, a staple in our household. There is something stew-like, homey and comforting, a pot of warmth and umami that is a joy to share and to eat (and to have seconds of always). Usually a family has one recipe or tradition that they stick to, but in my family’s case we make Bolognese three ways. We will call them the Father, Mother, and Son methods. Based on familial heritage, it’s a Southern Italian take on a Northern dish. We are Sicilian after all.
The Father method is the more extravagant of the three, the more costly, and therefore more gourmet. Instead of using minced beef as what would be “traditional”, sirloin steak is used. This coupled with a generous helping of sugar makes this an enjoyably sweet version. Not sickening, but just right. The vegetables or sofrito is processed so it almost melts away once cooked and therefore not noticeable in the final sauce.
Note: I have not provided exact measures of salt and pepper since you should season throughout the process and to taste, but I tend to season the sofrito, the meat, then the tomato once added across all recipes. In addition use whatever pasta you like. Personally I always call for rigatoni, tortiglioni or penne as my preferred with these sauces. Spaghetti spreads the sauce thin I find, the increased surface area possibly to blame, particularly if you have not allowed the sauce to thicken, but some like it looser. Each method serves 4-6 people - typically 3 in our household.
father method
Using a food processor, mince 1 medium brown onion, 1 carrot and 1 celery stalk (sofrito). Add to the pot with a generous helping of extra virgin olive oil and season.
Prepare the sirloin steak by removing the hardened fat and mince using the food processor.
Once the sofrito is translucent add the minced sirloin, seasoning with salt and pepper.
While the sirloin is cooking, add the tins of chopped tomato to the food processor and blitz a number of times until some of the bigger chunks are broken up. Do not blend it smooth.
Once the minced sirloin is browned (but not burnt/charred) add the tomato. Add the sugar and stir to combine.
Simmer the sauce on low-medium for 30-40 minutes, adding water if necessary to stop the sauce from sticking or burning. Stir often. Season to taste.
Once your chosen pasta is cooked, drain and add to the sauce, stirring to coat.
Serve with cracked black pepper and a hearty amount of parmesan.
ingredients
2 Sirloin steaks trimmed of fat (220g-240g each)
1 medium carrot
1 celery stalk
1 brown onion
2 tins chopped tomato (~800g total)
Salt
Pepper
Sugar (optional)
500g pasta of your choice
Parmesan (to serve)
The Mother method has the homely feel and warming satisfaction that any mother’s cooking typically has. It is wonderfully simple to throw together and comes with plenty of sauce that is enthusiastically mopped up with whatever bread is at hand. This one also has much more depth, more umami because of the added beef stock (which I for a time felt was cheating, but what is a life without umami). This is possibly the easiest of the three too, a tasty midweek fast option.
mother method
Finely chop the onion and garlic cloves, adding them to the pan with a glug of olive oil. Cook until translucent.
Add the minced beef and cook until browned and liquid released is reduced (5-10 minutes after browning).
Add the tomato, bay leaves, and beef stock cube, mixing to combine.
Cook covered for 10 minutes then 10-20 minutes uncovered.
Once your chosen pasta is cooked, drain and add some sauce to the pasta, stirring to coat but only just.
Serve with a sizable portion of sauce on top and parmesan, Grana Padano, or any other hard Italian cheese at hand.
ingredients
500g 12-20% fat minced beef
1 brown onion
3-4 garlic cloves
1 beef stock cube
2-3 tins of chopped tomato (~800g-1200g)
3-4 bay leaves
500g pasta of your choice
Hard Italian cheese (to serve)
I feel as if I have gone a direction completely different to my parents’ sauces and decided to create my own, picking up a little of their methodology, but at the same time carving out my own Bolognese path. The simplicity or tradition of the Father method and umami of the Mother method are replicated in my recipe.
son method (my own)
Finely chop the onion, cube the carrots and celery. Add to a Dutch oven frying gently in extra virgin olive oil until translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the minced beef, season like a steak with salt and pepper and a glug of olive oil. Break apart aggressively while cooking.
Add the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Once the beef is browned, add the half glass of white wine. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until reduced entirely.
Add the milk and again allow to reduce entirely.
Add bay leaves allowing to steam for 1-2 minutes. Pour over passata, into the pot. Refill bottle halfway with water closing it and shaking to capture all remaining and tomato adding this to the pot. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook medium for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, scraping down edges.
Once 20 minutes have passed cooked uncovered 10-20 minutes or until at a consistency of your liking. Season to taste.
Once your chosen pasta is cooked, drain and add to the sauce, stirring to coat.
Serve with cracked black pepper and parmesan.
ingredients
500g 12%-20% fat minced beef
1 brown onion
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
125 ml white wine
1 tbsp tomato paste
100 ml milk
3-4 bay leaves
One bottle tomato passata (~600g-700g)
Water
Salt
Pepper
500g pasta of your choice
Parmesan (to serve)
This has been an ode to Bolognese
