Spaghetti Bolognese
The ultimate family spaghetti bolognese — pancetta, milk, and a slow simmer make all the difference.
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Servings: 8 serves
Calories: 615kcal
Cost: $10
Equipment
- Stove-top
Ingredients
- 2 tbs butter
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 3 sticks celery diced
- 2 carrots large, diced
- 1 brown onion or yellow, diced
- 200 g pancetta chopped into small chunks
- 500 g beef mince
- 500 g pork mince
- rosemary and thyme fresh or dried
- 500 ml (2 cups) wine white or red
- 300 g tomato paste
- 250 ml (1 cup) milk full cream
- 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock liquid
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper
- 500 g pasta spaghetti, fettuccine etc
- grated parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Heat the butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat on the stovetop.
- Add the finely diced celery, carrot, onion and pancetta and sauté until the vegetables have softened (approximately 5 minutes).
- Turn the heat up to high and add the pork mince and beef mince. Stir occasionally (avoid stirring too much or you'll end up with a lot of liquid). Cook until the mince has browned and all of the liquid has evaporated. Note: To check if all of the liquid has evaporated, use a wooden spoon to make a gap in the base of the pot and see if there is any liquid there after a few seconds.
- Add the rosemary sprigs and thyme.
- Add the wine and cook until the liquid has evaporated.
- Stir through the tomato paste.
- Add the milk and stir through.
- Pour in the chicken stock liquid, add the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Turn the heat down to low.
- Cover with a lid and allow to cook slowly for a minimum of 1 hour (preferably 2-3 hours... the longer the better as the flavour develops beautifully as it cooks). Stir occasionally during the cooking time.
- Remove the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves.
- Cook pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain and return to the pasta pot. Add a large scoop of bolognese sauce and stir through.
- Serve the pasta with extra bolognese sauce and grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
RECIPE NOTES & TIPS
- Ingredients are key: Pancetta, both beef and pork mince, wine and milk - all combine to make the ultimate rich Italian bolognese sauce.
- Deglaze properly: When wine hits the hot pan, scrape up those little browned bits — they’re flavour gold!
- Don’t rush the simmer — the longer it sits, the better the flavour. Aim for at least 1 hr (preferable 2-3 hrs).
- Serve - over pasta, with a generous sprinkle of parmesan, (preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano)
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freeze: Cool completely and freeze the sauce (not the pasta) for up to 3 months.
- Reheat gently: Thaw overnight, warm slowly on the stove and add a splash of water or stock if it thickens too much.
Nutrition
Calories: 615kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 676mg | Potassium: 1011mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3279IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3mg
