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Delicious Spaghetti in a Bolognese Sauce Recipe
This tasty spaghetti Bolognese is a classic Italian recipe. Bolognese, or bolognaise in French, is a meat based pasta sauce originating from Bologna in Italy. The finely chopped vegetables complement the rich bolognese sauce and the addition of red wine further improves the meaty flavor.
One reason why spaghetti bolognese is so popular is that it is so rich and meaty. This dish suits Italian food fans, steak lovers (because of the rich beef flavor) and anyone who loves to cook fresh food.
For the best results, use good quality ingredients and that means good quality ground beef, fresh onion, carrot, garlic and basil and a good brand of spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti until it is al dente and not beyond. Soggy spaghetti in a spaghetti bolognese sauce recipe is not going to win you any points from your dinner guests.
Classic Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients -
1 lb minced beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 oz carrots, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 sticks celery, finely diced
2 cans chopped tomatoes
5 fl oz red wine
5 fl oz beef bouillon
1 tablespoon tomato puree
2 bay leaves
1 lb dried spaghetti
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
2 tablespoons torn, fresh basil leaves
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a medium pan over a moderate heat. Brown the beef and drain the fat from the pan. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots and cook until the vegetables are softened. Do not brown them. This will take about 15 minutes. Add the tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, red wine, bay leaves and beef bouillon. Stir continuously then turn down the heat and cook until the celery and carrots are soft. This will take about an hour.
Stir the sauce to break up the meat and tomatoes every now and then. This makes the flavor richer. Remove the bay leaves just before serving. Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions. Drain and serve with the Bolognese sauce, garnished with Parmesan cheese and torn basil leaves.
(Serves 4)
Wine Suggestion:
Which Wine to Serve with Delicious Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe
The spicy, peppery flavor of a Syrah makes it a great California wine both to add to the Bolognese sauce and to drink with this dish. A fruity Zinfandel or gentle Merlot could also be served with this classic spaghetti Bolognese recipe.
Photo Description:
A Picture of Delicious Spaghetti in a Bolognese Sauce Recipe - makes a lovely alternative to your classic marinara sauce and will give you a delightful twist on boring old spaghetti. The dish is topped with fresh parmesan cheese and fresh basil for a delightful dish.
Cooking with Wine
Wine is a great ingredient to cook with because it adds flavor to the food. Cooking with wine includes using wine in reduction sauces, as a flavoring or for marinating. If you add wine to a recipe, it intensifies and enhances the food's flavors. Various types of wine can be used in cooking - red, white and even champagne. Blush wine tends to be too subtle to give much flavor though.
Wines labeled as "cooking wines" and stored in the seasoning aisle of a supermarket can be very salty and probably will not do much for your recipe. It is best to choose a wine that you enjoy drinking. In addition, this means you can drink any that is left over! Cooking with wine offers many possibilities. Beef stew with red wine is delicious, as are prawns in champagne sauce and chicken in a creamy, white wine sauce.
If you have kept an opened bottle of red or white wine in the refrigerator for more than a few days, it might have begun to oxidize. This reduces its appeal for drinking but it can still be used in cooking. If a wine has been opened for longer and is beyond the state you would happily drink it in, do not use it for cooking because the recipe taste will be affected.
Sulfites in Wine
So what are sulfites exactly? Most of us have seen the "contains sulfites" label on our wine bottles and wondered about this. All wine contains sulfites although some contain more than others. Sulfites are a natural part of the fermentation process used to turn grape juice into wine and even wine that has not had sulfites added to it will still contain some. Sulfites or sulfur dioxide (SO2) keeps down the native yeast activities and prevents bacteria from reacting with the wine. It stops the freshly pressed grape juice from spoiling.
It you are using wine with sulfites for cooking, you might be pleased to know they evaporate like alcohol. Cooking the wine with sulfites is not going to concentrate them like some people imagine. The sulfite is converted in the wine into sulfur dioxide and it is this compound, which stops the wine from oxidizing. Sulfur dioxide is a gas so when it is heated it simply vanishes into the air, leaving behind a tiny amount of salts but not enough to affect the flavor of your recipe at all.
Learn More About Wine>> California Wine Country Mini Articles are spread through out the site get a list of articles at this link.
