Authentic Bolognese Sauce

Authentic Bolognese sauce starts with a soffrito, so place a large pot on your stove (medium heat), add a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and once warm, add onion.

When the onion begins to look glossy and golden, add carrots, celery and then stir through, leaving to cook for 4-5 minutes.

Next add ½ glass red wine (118ml) to the authentic Bolognese sauce and leave to simmer on low for a few minutes or until the wine evaporates.

Add the mince and break it down using a wooden spoon and/or fork before seasoning with only salt and pepper.

Mix every so often to ensure the mince is all cooked through, leaving to brown.

Once the water has evaporated, mix in the other half glass of red wine.

In total, authentic Bolognese sauce should cook for up to 4-5hr and this will make the meat more tender.

After allowing the wine to evaporate again, mix through the passata, paste and peeled tomatoes.

Crush tomatoes using the wooden spoon as you stir through.

After 1.5hr, add 1L/4.2cups boiled water to the pot and mix through. At this point, taste for salt – this is a preference of taste, add only if you want more as no other seasoning is necessary for an authentic Bolognese sauce!

Then after another hour or so, add more – the trick is when the sauce looks dry, add water, this will thicken the mixture and allow the mince to become more tender.

Allow the sauce to bubble only a small amount and not spurt everywhere. If it is bubbling too much, turn the heat down.

When the sauce is 1/2 hr away from being ready, boil 5L water in a second pot then add a tablespoon of rock salt, leaving it to dissolve.

Once the sauce has been cooking for up to 5hr, remove it from the heat and leave to rest.

Add your choice of pasta to the water (ours is Pappardelle) and cook according to the packet instructions.

While the pasta is boiling, prepare a large fry pan for mixing!

Next add a cup of full cream milk to your sauce and stir through then put it back on the stove for 5 minutes.

Finally, place a frypan on the stove at a low heat, and add a generous spoonful (or two!) of Bolognese sauce, covering the base.

Next, add the strained pasta into the pan along with a cup of pasta water.

Mix this through until the pasta is completely lathered before adding another generous amount of authentic Bolognese sauce and mix again.

E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!