Italy

Ragu alla Bolognese

• First you need to make a base which is called sofritto, you take one white onion, 2 carrots and 2 celery and you chop them very fine, as fine as possible, you can even put them in a blender for a few seconds.

• Take a pot or a deep pan and add some olive oil and heat it up on a low to medium fire, add your sofritto to the pan and start cooking it. I'd suggest add a little twig of rosemary to the pan as well.

• Stir your vegetables every now and then, and after ten minutes you add minced meat, I suggest to add a mix of minced veal and minced pork.

• Season the meat with some salt and black pepper.

• When the meat is cooked properly, add half a glass of red or white wine to the pan and keep stirring.

• Now take a small bowl and add some tomato concentrate (tomato paste) and dilute it with some water or chicken/vegetable stock.

• Add your tomato paste mixed with the water or stock to the pan and stir it together and let it cook a little bit.

• Now add about half a litre or more of chicken/vegetable stock to the pan and carry on stirring and cooking.

• Cut 1 tomato in small little cubes and mix it in your pan. (This is not necessary but I personally like to add a tomato to it.)

• Add 2 fresh basil leaves to the pan.

• Turn your heat very low and let it cook, put a lid on your pot or pan, and check up on it and stir it every 10 to 15 minutes. Let it cook for about an hour on a very low heat. You can take the lid off the pan for the last 15 minutes.

• Taste it and see if it needs extra salt or pepper.

• Enjoy your bolognese sauce which you can use in all types of dishes.