Nigel Slater's Really Good Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

How does Gordon Ramsay make the best spaghetti bolognese? ›

Spaghetti bolognese, or shortened to "spag bol" in the UK, is a popular pasta dish outside Italy, although not part of Italian cuisine. The dish is generally perceived as inauthentic by Italians.

Milk is a magical ingredient when it comes to bolognese. First, the lactic acid and calcium in milk help to tenderize the meat. More than that, though, milk balances the wine and tomato, creates a creamier texture and adds richness (similar to how butter or yogurt add more richness and flavor to dishes).

During cooking, you can further improve your meat sauce by adding other flavourings to boost complexity; a splash of worcestershire or even some soy which are both especially good with beef mince. My favourite Calabrian nonna adds a piece of pig skin the size of a cheese slice (ask your butcher).

Like most recipes the longer you leave it to slowly cook the better the flavour will be but this can also be knocked up with in an hour.

No, we put sugar in sweets, not in savory dishes. If you happened to buy tomatoes that are acidic you may try to correct that with a pinch of sugar or, better, with some milk. But acidic tomatoes are not common nowadays.

A1: While some of the ingredients in bolognese are similar to those in American-style spaghetti meat sauce, authentic bolognese is thicker, has milk added (which is delicious), and uses far less tomato.

If you want to cut the meat yourself, get cuts like chuck or flank steak, as per the Bolognese tradition, or even a skirt steak (the diaphragm, practically impossible to find at the butchers). The same goes for pork: choose pieces like the thigh which are fatty and tasty.

Bolognese sauce comes from the Bologna region of Italy and is made with ground beef and ground pork, although other ground meats can be used. Bolognese is slow-cooked with tomatoes a soffrito (made of onions, carrots, and celery), and milk. Finished with heavy cream and grated romano cheese to give it a creamy texture.

Take bolognese; you might be used to eating it with spaghetti, but no self-respecting Italian would ever serve a meaty ragú like this with such a thin pasta shape. Substantial sauces call for substantial pasta shapes, so a wider, flatter shape like tagliatelle or pappardelle is more appropriate.

What do British people call spaghetti? ›

Spag short for spaghetti and bol short for Bolognese. Hope this helps. Spag (short for spaghetti) Bol (short for bolognase) not bowl.

The secret ingredient to a true Bolognese Sauce is milk (or cream), which is added in such small amount, you don't even know it's there. TIP: Bolognese Sauce is best made the day before to allow the flavors to develop. Cool the sauce, uncovered, and then refrigerate in an airtight container.

Usually, fresh basil has to be added to a fresh sauce (means a sauce made by fresh tomatoes, to serve it "today") just at the end of cooking, 3-4 minutes before you turn your fire off. Then let it rest some minutes more, while you cook the pasta.

The Italians traditionally eat the Bolognese with tagliatelle, a flat strand egg pasta similar to fettuccine. You can use other flat ribbon pasta like papardelle or tripoline. I personally use this sauce with any and all pastas though. And I love mixing it with tube pastas like rigatoni or penne.

Though garlic is listed in the ingredients of most store-bought pasta sauces, adding fresh garlic will make the flavor more powerful and distinct. This makes the sauce taste more homemade overall. Along with garlic, toss some other vegetables, such as diced onions, chopped peppers and chopped carrots into your skillet.

Your spaghetti sauce may taste bland due to insufficient seasoning. Try adding more salt, herbs (like basil, oregano, or thyme), and other flavor enhancers like garlic, onion, or red pepper flakes. Also, a dash of sugar can balance flavors and bring out the natural sweetness of tomatoes.

Why should you add sugar to your spaghetti sauce? If the tomatoes are too acidic or you add wine to the sauce, and you don't plan on cooking it for hours like an authentic Sunday Sauce, then a teaspoon of sugar can help reduce the acidity.