Bolognese Sauce Recipe

1. Ingredients

2. Method - Steps 1 to 3

Cook Time 50 mins* + Oven Time of  90 mins

Prep Time 30 Mins*

*The quoted times are an estimated and may vary based upon your experience & chosen ingredients.

1) Set your oven to 180 C/Gas mark 4, spread your mince on an oven tray lined with kitchen foil (if you don’t have foil it just means more washing up).  Cook for a total of 40mins, turning & breaking up the mince every 10mins.  At the end you will have cooked off the fat and the mince should have a crumbly texture like large coffee granules.

2) During the cooking of the mince you can prepare your other ingredients & start cooking them.  Open your tinned tomatoes and decant into a bowl or dish.  If using wine pour your wine equally into the cans and swirl to clean the sides then set aside (it not use red wine stock or water).  Prepare your veg or if available use frozen veg.

3) Meanwhile pour some olive oil into a large oven proof pot (if available) cook off your carrots, celery & onion until soft but not coloured.  This should take about 10mins.  Once cooked transfer to a bowl. 

3. Method - Steps 4 to 6

4)  Once the pot is empty of the veg put in your puree and cook out for 2mins, then add the red wine from the cans and cook until the volume has reduced by approx. half (this also burns off the alcohol). Then add your tomatoes and cook for few minutes adding your seasoning & if available the chopped Basil (remember to limit your seasoning at first, you can always add some later after tasting, but if you season too much you cannot remove it).

5)  Now add your veg back to the pot, and when the mince is cooked add this as well, give a good stir bring back to the boil, cover and place in the oven at 150 C for 1 ½ hours checking every ½ hour adding some hot water if required.

6) Make your pasta of your choice as per the instruction on the packet.

4. Hints & Tips

Hints & Tips

• You can cook the mince in the pot rather than the oven, but I would recommend taking it out and draining off the fat before adding any other ingredients.
• You can also cook this on the hob if you do not have an oven proof pot, it just means checking routinely and stirring to prevent the sauce from sticking to the base of the pot.
• Please cook off the Tomato Puree & Wine (if using) as this changes the flavour.
• If you do not want to use Wine (red or white) you can also use red wine stock pots, just follow the instructions and use 250ml.
• You can make this in advance, if you are freezing it its best to portion it before freezing.

It can be used with pasta (macaroni, spaghetti etc.) as a base for lasagne, cannelloni or even with baked potatoes for a lunch.