This recipe lives really close to my heart. It’s the bolognese sauce that my aunt and godmother has always done for her lasagna. With time I have adapted it and so this is my version of her version, lol. It’s not a classic bolognese but I think that the different things that it has is exactly what makes it so special.
The ingredients that have infiltrated this version of bolognese is sausages (bbq style) and dehydrated mushrooms. The sausage gives the dish a LOT of flavour and the dehydrated mushrooms add earthiness. I love the finished version! Stay connected to for when I upload the lasagna recipe using this bolognese next week :).
I love to be sharing this recipe with you because both my mom and aunt have been greatly influential in my cooking. They’re both amazing cooks with really different styles as well. My mom always needs a recipe in front of her and wouldn’t dare stir away from the instructions. On the other hand my aunt has never measured any recipe so each time she makes a recipe it turns out different! Almost 5 years ago I got her to share with me her bolognese sauce recipe and then I’ve tweaked it a bit on the way.
You can perfectly freeze this bolognese sauce for up to three months. It’s one of those recipes, just like lentils, that you can make in advance and freeze for a day in which you don’t feel like cooking. That way you only need to cook some pasta, mix it with the sauce and it’s read. The same goes for the turkey bolognese I shared a while back :).
For the sauce I used chicken stock that I made at home. It’s so much healthier and yummier when you make it at home! Try to organize yourself to make it :). Usually my stock cooks while I’m making m breakfast, go in the shower and start m day. That way it’s cooking while I’m still getting stuff done.
Ingredients
For the chicken stock
- 4 chicken wings or chicken bones
- 150 g brown onion in medium chunks
- 150 g carrots in medium chunks
- 150 g celery in medium chunks
- 2 lt water
For the bolognese sauce
- 5 g dehydrated mushrooms (optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 120 g pancetta finel chopped
- 2 bayleaves
- 200 g brown onion in small cubes
- 100 g carrots in small cubes
- 70 g celery in small cubes
- 300 g tomato paste
- 120 ml white wine
- 8 to roma tomatoes peeled, deseeded and chopped finely
- 100 g sausage peeled and in small cubes (if you don't want to use it replace with the same amount of minced beef)
- 400 g minced beef 10-15% fat
- 700 ml chicken stock
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
For the chicken stock
- Remove the skin and any large chunks of fat from the wings. These parts we don't use for the stock.
- Add all the ingredients to a pot and place it over medium-low heat. Count 2 hours from the moment it starts simmering.
- Pass the stock through a sieve and reserve to use in the bolognese.
For the bolognese sauce
- Place the pancetta in a pot with the olive oil over medium-low heat. Stir constantly and let the pancetta become slightly golden while also letting go of its fat. Remove the pancetta and reserve it.
- Add the onion, garlic, carrot and bayleaves. Cook them with over medium-low heat for 15-20min or until the onion goes from smelling strong to smelling sweet and is translucent.
- Add the tomato paste and cook it for one minute. Then add the white wine and the chopped tomatoes. Let it boil on medium heat until there's no liquid left at the bottom of the pot.
- Return the pancetta to the pot along with the sausage, minced beef and mix.
- Turn off the heat when the sauce has thickened enough and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2 comments
Why use chicken stock in a beef recipe. Beef bone broth is so delicious
Hi! It’s the more traditional way but you can use either according to your liking 🙂