How to make Authentic Ragu Bolognese sauce.

Slowly cooked, concentrated, thick and with rich dark red colour, authentic ragu alla bolognese is a culinary delight. This tomato based pasta sauce is full of rich flavours and vibrant textures when properly prepared and little of the sauce is needed to coat spaghetti. And the taste, oh the taste will transport your to Italy with every mouthful.

This is one sauce I love and prepare in bulk as Spaghetti is one of my favourite pasta. Sadly, supermarket bought Ragu sauce is nothing short of a travesty and no where near the real deal as you will find in proper Italian restaurants and homes. You are totally better off making your own.

The ingredients used will make about 6 to 8 portions serving 2 people each time.

Ingredients

500g minced beef

500g minced pork or minced turkey if you don’t like pork..

225g chicken livers ( I didn’t add liver to this recipe because I can’t eat liver right now)

2 large onions, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped, minced or crushed.

150g streaky bacon or pancetta finely chopped ( pancetta or bacon bits can be used).

3 of 400g tins Italian chopped tomatoes ( substitute of about 12 fresh Tomato Jos can be used. How to go about it is described in the footnote at the bottom)

2 of 200g tubes double concentrate tomato puree ( De rica or Ciao can be used make certain you have 400g quantity)

400ml Red Wine

1 tsp white wine vinegar

A bunch of fresh basil (coriander was used in this particular batch)

1/2 whole nutmeg, grated.

2 carrots

2 celery sticks.

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper ( add one or two scotch bonnet if you love your pepper) and perhaps a bit of your desired seasoning to taste.

8 tablespoons olive oil

Direction:

In a large about 20CL nonstick stock pot, heat 4 tbsp of the oil, add the onion and garlic to sweat over gentle medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Chop the bacon or pancetta finely while the onion is frying.

Add the chopped bacon or pancetta to stockpot with the onions and garlic and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Turn up the heat, add the remaining 4 tbsp of oil and add all the minced beef and pork or turkey mince to brown.

If you bought chicken livers chop and trim then rinse while the meat is browning, drain the water with a strainer. When the pork is browned add the chicken liver into the stockpot and continue to cook till all meat is well browned. Add chopped celery and carrots.

Open up the tomato tins and add the into the stockpot, the two tomato puree, red wine, white wine vinegar, grate the nutmeg in and season. Cover up and let simmer. Chop the basil and add after about 10mins.

Cook on medium heat for another 10mins stirring to avoid burning. Then turn the medium heat down the low and cook for 2hours. Keep checking and stir occasionally. If you feel it’s drying up add small boiling water. After two hours, you should have a thick concentrated sauce with very little liquid.

Chop the remaining basil and stir into the sauce. Let the sauce cool down completely then spoon into desired portions in resealable freezer bags, container or the food storage you have that can go it the freezer.

You can also serve it on cooked spaghetti immediately the sauce is ready, freshly made and hot for your “Spaghetti Bolognese”. Enjoy!

Please Note:

-Fresh Tomato Jos can be used in place of the tinned Italian tomatoes. Blend together and pour in a pan to simmer for about 10mins first to dry the water out before incorporating into the steps.

-If you have a cast iron casserole, spoon all ingredients into a 6 pint capacity one and place the casserole uncovered in a the centre of the oven preheated to 140C and leave it in for 3hours. You should check in between to make sure all is well.

-Another option is to use a large oven dish and cook in the oven 3hours.

-I don’t know if basil is readily available where you are. Leave it out if it is not.

-When you want to use your frozen sauce, bring it out to thaw and warm in the microwave till its hot and bubbly.

Cooked with love,

Ajikespecial xx