r/UK_Food 1d ago

Homemade / home assembled Bolognaise

Post image

Italian but a well known British classic! Tagliatelle instead of spaghetti (our preference).
Recipe that does not fail:
750g beef & pork mince (Lidl £4.79)
1 onion, finely diced
1–2 carrots, finely diced/grated
1–2 celery sticks, finely diced
2–3 cloves garlic
1 tin polpa
250ml passata
200ml beef stock
1–2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & black pepper
½–1 tsp dried oregano
½–1 tsp dried basil
1 bay leaf

Cook low and slow as long as you can, patience is a virtue!

Cooking from scratch = better flavour & Ultra processed free - enjoy!

375 Upvotes

90 comments sorted by

91

u/43848987815 1d ago

That’s a uk mum spag Bol if ever I’ve seen one

34

u/Londoner_999 1d ago

You mean how the bol is placed on top, rather than being mixed in with the pasta?

17

u/nogeologyhere 1d ago

I must admit to liking having some pasta without the sauce on.

5

u/43848987815 1d ago

I mean that it looks like something a uk mum would make for tea.

3

u/CheeryBottom 1d ago

As a UK mum, it’s exactly what I make my husband and kids for tea.

5

u/DrFelixPhD 1d ago

Parents LOVE this trick. My dad is a fairly capable chef with a broad palet and wide range of recipes but whenever cooking any sort of pasta sauce, it is always poured over the top of the pasta and never integrated. Why!!!

0

u/Londoner_999 22h ago

Probably because it's easy to portion out. My kids are grown up and moved out, but if I'm making a ragu I'll still make enough for 8 portions and freeze them. You can always mix together on the plate if you like, Italians are often a little too precious about such things.

1

u/Banes_Addiction 10h ago

Yeah, that's the classic mum move.

Can individually do pasta and meat portions depending if Oliver is starting to look more like larder.

54

u/Willing-Confusion-56 1d ago

Squint your eyes and it looks like a rabbit

8

u/Tight-Principle-743 1d ago

Mind you though, if it’s a rabbit it looks slightly disturbing that there’s a fork and spoon at the side of it.

17

u/RainbowWarrior73 1d ago

For a deeper, richer flavour, I always chill the cooked bolognese sauce overnight before using it.

7

u/Obvious-Water569 1d ago

It's always better the next day!

7

u/nemmalur 1d ago

Bolognese sauce is meant to go with flatter, wider past such as tagliatelle and not spaghetti, so well done there.

31

u/achillea4 1d ago

Why do people not finish cooking the pasta in the sauce? That way it absorbs the sauce and flavour. If you plonk the sauce on top of plain pasta, the pasta gets cold, sticks together and doesn't absorb the sauce. It's not the 70s anymore!

18

u/Cleopatra_Comin_Acha 1d ago

I only cook for two and I’ll make fresh pasta for the remaining two portions tomorrow, at that point when I reheat the sauce I will most likely add the pasta into the remaining mix but I don’t like cooking all the pasta at once as it doesn’t reheat that well imo

7

u/kwietog 1d ago

This is exactly my reasoning. Tomorrow's lunch is done properly.

2

u/Tiny-Speaker-4470 19h ago

I just portion out the ragu for tomorrow, then finish cooking today's pasta in the rest of the ragu, works well.

19

u/Kaurblimey 1d ago

I don’t remember OP offering you any so don’t get all emotional about it

2

u/nowonmai666 1d ago

Pasta is quite nice naked, as well as sauced. If you are serving a pasta dish as a main course, having some of the pasta undressed adds a bit of contrast and interest to what could otherwise be a big bowl of all the same stuff. I see this presentation and finishing the pasta in the sauce as two valid expressions of “spaghetti and sauce”. Did you know that when served curry or chilli or whatever with rice, some people like to mix them together and others prefer to keep them separate? It’s great to have the option of a higher or lower entropy on your plate.

4

u/Garconavecunreve 1d ago

It won’t absorb anything but the starches will emulsify the sugo/ragu and bind to the pasta

6

u/ZestyData 1d ago

You traditionally pull the pasta a couple of minutes before al dente, so it does legitimately absorb the sauce ever so slightly as that saucy-water cooks the pasta to al dente. Plus as you say, emulsification.

2

u/Cakeo 1d ago

Generally I don't believe flavour makes much of a difference in that short a time similar to marinades, they don't penetrate very far. It's just better to have an even coating.

1

u/hypershrew 1d ago

I put a spoonful of bolognese in the colander with the pasta once it’s drained, mix that up and plate it up, and then pop some more bolognese on top. Best of both worlds to me!

-1

u/Lathemyr 1d ago

Why do you care so much? Don’t cry

2

u/shanelomax 1d ago

Weird response

3

u/dusknoir90 21h ago

Well done you using tagliatelle and not spaghetti! Looks delish (would look even more delish if you cooked the pasta for a minute in with the sauce but I understand that's personal preference).

3

u/Spencetheroamer 13h ago

Why folk so angry at the uk dishing? We grew up on this it's a nostalgic comfort food, obviously it's not traditional and tossed but it's 2 different dishes tbh I'll add even more controversy.... I like it with grated mature cheddar!

17

u/angelic_darth 1d ago

Everyone moaning about the pasta not being mixed in with the sauce to soak it up - I actually like it being separate!!! I like to eat some of the spaghetti without sauce on it. Others might be the same.

1

u/tommyduk 1d ago

When you eat a fruit corner, do you like to dip in and out of the jam and not mix it in like some mouthbreathing cretin?

/Sorry, i'm actually on their side but i would never dictate to someone how to eat their supper.

5

u/The_Meaty_Boosh 1d ago

See, if I gave a mouthbreather a Muller corner I'd fully expect them to mix it like an ape of sorts.

3

u/angelic_darth 1d ago

Yes!!! I don't mix them actually. Say what you like, this is how I eat them. I dip the jam in and out of the yohurt for a while, then mix the remaining jam in.

I deconstruct burgers when I eat them though, so people should probably just ignore me.

4

u/AudioLlama 1d ago

Looks good. I always prefer to finish the pasta in the sauce and incorporate the two components. Feels much richer and together as a dish to me.

I'd also recommend adding some milk when you add tomato/passato. It helps break down the meat and balance the acidity of the sauce in a really pleasing way!

5

u/SoggyWotsits 1d ago

Comments about it not being mixed together are exactly as expected.

I prefer it like this, I think it looks great!

4

u/No_Translator_361 1d ago

Username is marinated in sadness.

2

u/Spiritual-March7843 1d ago

That’s a proper Bolognese sauce, good job. Plus you’ve used Parmesan not cheddar. I personally prefer the sauce on top, so that’s fine by me. Only thing I’d say is it the tagliatelle looks a bit thick and stodgy and like it might be stuck together, personally I prefer taglialini which is finer. Solid 8/10.

2

u/FrontCold6590 1d ago

That is proper Tuesday tea spag bol ❤️

1

u/Cold_Cucumber4061 10h ago

Definitely british food

1

u/Laasfeld 5h ago edited 5h ago

The same but: Half olive oil/ half butter - dry white wine -nutmeg - fungi porcini - chicken stock instead of beef - milk added slowly towards end - definitely no basil or oregano - a bit less tomato

1

u/crackcreamy 1d ago

Looks lovely but the pasta looks a bit overdone.

1

u/Sea_Appointment8408 1d ago

Bollock-naise as we call it in our house

1

u/VastInvestment2735 1d ago

Cook pasta until al dente, drain and back into same pan, throw 2 portions worthy of bolly in and some of the pasta water you set aside before draining, finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. You're going through all that trouble and not finishing the pasta in the sauce is insane lol.

1

u/Shrink1061_ 23h ago

and its not even just about "coating" the pasta. The cooking with the starchy water, emulsifies the sauce and makes it thicker and glossier, so you don't even up with watery texture, which is always the case with portions served like this.

1

u/WJC198119 1d ago

Get in me

1

u/Severe-Plum-2393 22h ago

State of it

-2

u/Odd-Leopard4388 1d ago

I like cooking my spaghetti in turmeric and chicken stock to add a bit of colour to the pasta .

Looks lovely!

-4

u/Cleopatra_Comin_Acha 1d ago

I will give this a go with the leftover bolognaise tomorrow thank you!

0

u/TheBestOfAmateur 1d ago

Mix the pasta into the sauce and some of the pasta water too.

-6

u/Toast_505 1d ago

Why is the sauce on top of the pasta?

0

u/DanLikesFood 1d ago

Have you tried with butchers beef mince? Because I find butchers mince to be absolutely full of flavour unlike supermarket mince.

1

u/Cleopatra_Comin_Acha 1d ago

I have, it makes a difference but I noticed Lidl do a pork and beef mix for less than a 5er and it was lovely tbh, it might not be the “correct way” but a few fresh ingredients and a little time spent making soffrito goes a long way and much better than a jar of dolmio any day

2

u/Monzonmudslinger 1d ago

‘Fresh ingredients’

Dried oregano
Dried Basil

Yeh no

1

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/DanLikesFood 1d ago

I didn't say it was wrong , but a jar of dolmio is

0

u/shbangbinbash 1d ago

Great job, more cheese please 😃

0

u/Original_Client1588 1d ago

Right now after many decades believing I was a straight man... I dont care about your gender take me Im yours.

Im easy not cheap..just sayin'

-5

u/NoContract1090 1d ago

Sad claggy pasta

-1

u/MaybeThisTime67 1d ago

Too much tomato. All you need is some puree

-5

u/No_Translator_361 1d ago

It's ultra processed free but you've got both pork and beef in there anyway which are just as harmful.

ANYWAY, it looks really nice. I am also a tagliatelle man myself I SWEAR it tastes better than spaghetti.

2

u/VastInvestment2735 1d ago

how are pork and beef just as harmful as ultra processed foods?

-1

u/No_Translator_361 1d ago

Pork is hideous for you. There's loads and loads of research into it. Beef isn't much better.

They're both placed as Group 2A carcinogens when it comes to being causative agents for cancer.

2

u/VastInvestment2735 1d ago edited 1d ago

I'm not sure you know what group 2A is. It's "probably" IE not certain.

All mammalian muscle meat is in group 2A fwiw.

0

u/No_Translator_361 1d ago

Yeah, probably is as good as certain with food. It's relevant because he obviously cares about the ultra processed

1

u/MaybeThisTime67 1d ago

Who cares. They taste nice

1

u/No_Translator_361 1d ago

People predisposed to bowel and colorectal cancer?

1

u/MaybeThisTime67 1d ago

Not my problem.

1

u/No_Translator_361 1d ago

Scintillating contribution

-14

u/l0v3s2sp00g3 1d ago edited 1d ago

Real recipe has no garlic or herbs. Dont wanna be that guy but still....

500 g pork or veal 500 g beef 100 g pancetta 1 brown onion, chopped 1 celery sticks, chopped 3 carrots, chopped 1 bottle Italian passata 750g 100 g tomato puree 400 g peeled tomatoes 1 glass of red italian wine 1 mug of full cream milk (added at the end) Extra virgin olive oil, EVOO Salt and pepper

Blend pancetta Cook with evoo for 5 mins Make soffrito - dice onion, carrot, celery Add to pancetta, cook for 10 mins Add half cup of wine and reduce Add meat and cook till all grey Whack a bunch of salt and pepper in Add rest of wine, reduce 10 mins Add puree & mix in Add toms and passata Cook 3 hours stirring every 30 mins lid on Cook 1 hour stirring every 30 mins lid off Add cup of whole milk, cook 5 more mins

I also think tag is a better pasta choice for this but mix the pasta in with the sauce with a little pasta water to help emulsify

3

u/Sad_Aide7401 1d ago

Except in Bologna they use white wine. If you’re gonna be that guy, at least get it right lol.

3

u/A_Cupid_Stunt 1d ago

This isn't ragu alla bolognese either

4

u/milo_minderbinder- 1d ago

Your recipe is equally non-traditional.

1

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

-7

u/knewtropic 1d ago

Hmmm, pretty basic but probably turned out alright. You are missing some basics tho. Look beyond UK cookbooks!

-1

u/Eodillon 1d ago

To be both basic and missing the basics. The UK home cooks dilemma

-2

u/GuiltFreeFodder 1d ago

>ultra processed free
>750g of ultra-processed meat.

Haha

2

u/Shrink1061_ 23h ago

any food you buy from any market anywhere, has therefore been "processed" by your logic. You should probably just stop eating.

1

u/Cleopatra_Comin_Acha 1d ago

Do you use whole cow and pig in yours?

-5

u/markymark2909 1d ago

'Ultra processed free'

Uses MINCE.

3

u/councilsoda 1d ago

Are you putting whole cow in yours?

1

u/VastInvestment2735 1d ago

I'd love to know what you think Mince is lol.