Nigel
Slater's Really Good Spaghetti Bolognese
By Nigel Slater
Some may call this a winter recipe. But I say, a good
pasta dish takes place all year long. Here is a wonderful
explanation for all the needed steps to make this recipe
work for you, the great home cook.
Author Notes: A bolognese that works around your schedule
- and might even be better than Nonna's, thanks to a secret
ingredient or four. Adapted slightly from The
(...more)
- Genius
Recipes.
Nigel
Slater's Really Good Spaghetti Bolognese
Adapted slightly from The
Kitchen Diaries (Gotham Books, 2006)
Serves
4
For
the Bolognese:
Ingredients:
4 tbls. Butter
3 oz. cubed Pancetta
1 medium oMnion
2 fat Cloves Garlic
1 Carrot
2 stalks Celery
2 large, flat Mushrooms such as Portobello, (about 4 oz.)
2 Bay Leaves
1 lb. Ground Beef or Lamb
1 cup crushed Tomatoes or Passata
1/4 cup Red Wine
3/4 cup Stocka Nutmeg
3/4 cup Half & Half or Cream
For
Serving:
* Spaghetti or Tagliatelle (for 4)
* Grated Parmesan
Procedure:
1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based
pot - then stir in the pancetta and let it cook for five
minutes or so, without coloring much. Meanwhile peel and
finely chop the onion and garlic and stir them into the
pancetta. Peel and finely chop the carrot and celery and
stir them in, too. Lastly, finely chop the mushrooms and
add to the pan, then tuck in the bay leaves and leave
to cook for ten minutes over a moderate heat, stirring
frequently.
2.
Turn up the heat and tip in the meat, breaking it up well
with a fork.
3.
Now leave to cook without stirring for a good three or
four minutes, then, as the meat on the bottom is starting
to brown, stir again, breaking up the meat where necessary,
and leave to color.
4.
Mix in the tomatoes, red wine, stock, a grating of nutmeg
and some salt and black pepper, letting it come to the
boil. Turn the heat down so that everything barely bubbles.
There should be movement, but one that is gentle, not
quite a simmer. Partially cover the pan with a lid and
leave the putter away for an hour to an hour and a half,
stirring from time to time and checking the liquid levels.
You don't want it to be dry.
5.
Pour in the half-and-half or cream a bit at a time, stir
and continue cooking for twenty minutes. Check the seasoning,
then serve with the pasta and grated Parmesan
By
Kristen
Miglore • courtesy of www.food52.com
Photo by James Ransom
|