Bolognese Sauce : Where Tradition Meets Taste…

Every family, as you can imagine, believes they make the best ragù, everyone has their own ‘original’ recipe, and that’s normal! What I can tell you is that by doing a little research on the net, I was able to see that the recipe my grandmother used to make is really practically identical to the one filed with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce.

Ingredients for Bolognese Sauce:

  • 600g (1.3 lbs) minced beef / ground beef
  • 200g (7 oz) Italian bacon (flat, not rolled)
  • 100g (3.5 oz) celery
  • 100g (3.5 oz) carrots (trimmed weight)
  • 1 golden/yellow onion (about 70-80g / 2.5-3 oz)
  • 500g (17.6 oz) tomato passata / tomato puree
  • 500ml (2 cups) water (plus extra if needed during cooking)
  • 3 tablespoons tomato purée / tomato paste
  • Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1 glass (about 120ml / 1/2 cup) dry white wine (good quality)

How to make Bolognese Sauce :

  1. Finely chop the celery, carrots, and onion using a sharp knife
  2. Finely chop the Italian bacon as well.
  3. Heat a large saucepan or pot (about 8 inches / 20 cm in diameter) over medium-high heat. Add the Italian bacon and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, allowing it to release its fat. No additional oil is needed at this stage.
  4. Add the chopped vegetables to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  5. Increase the heat to high and add the minced beef. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the meat’s juices have completely evaporated. Add a small amount of salt at this point.
  6. Note: Stay at the stove and stir frequently during these steps to prevent burning.
  7. Pour in the white wine and let it completely evaporate over high heat.
  8. Add the tomato paste, tomato puree/passata, and all the water (room temperature is fine). Stir well to combine all ingredients.
  9. Bring the mixture to a boil, add another pinch of salt, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover the pot with a lid.
  10. Simmer the sauce for 3 hours. Stir occasionally, checking every 30 minutes or so, adding more water if necessary.
  11. Taste the sauce near the end of the cooking time and adjust the salt if needed.

Bon Appétit!