Then we talked about it again, this year. The differences between the old Classic recipe and her new one (which is what I have on my computer and have been making this year) are absolutely vast. I have 3 of her books and used the old recipe for years. The other 2 books do not have the new version. The new one, as I made it tonight is so much better. Thank you Marilyn for finding the revised version. I have now revised the revised version.
I added 1T. chopped garlic for the first time although neither asks for it. I have been thinking it needed more flavour. Good decision.
I added just 1/4 t. of dried oregano.
And I substituted part heavy cream for the milk. Also good.
As I was helping a friend suddenly, I did the final simmer for only 1 hour. And I stopped then because I figured it could not get any better.
It is so good. I have packaged up bits for friends. It really is the best I've made and I had been making it, until about a year ago, using the Classic recipe.
So here is the new recipe with tonight's adjustments:
Bolognese Marcella Hazan
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 tablespoons butter, divided
½ cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup chopped carrot
new addition: Garlic 3 t.
¾ pound ground beef chuck
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
I added 1/4 t. dried oregano
1 cup whole milk , instead: 3/4 c. milk + 1/4 c. heavy cream
Whole nutmeg , I used a big 1/2 t. but I like nutmeg whenever milk is involved
1 cup dry white wine
1½ cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, torn into pieces, with juice
1¼ to 1½ pounds pasta (preferably spaghetti), cooked and drained
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese at the table
Put oil, 3 tablespoons butter and chopped onion in a heavy 3-½-quart pot and turn heat to medium. Cook and stir onion until it has become translucent, then add chopped celery and carrot. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring vegetables to coat well.
Add ground beef, a large pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper. Crumble meat with a fork, stir well & cook until beef has lost its red colour.
Add milk and let simmer gently, stirring frequently, until it has bubbled away completely. Add a tiny grating, about 1/8 teaspoon, fresh nutmeg and stir.
Add wine and let it simmer until it has evaporated. Add tomatoes and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients well. When tomatoes begin to bubble, turn heat down so that sauce cooks at the laziest of simmers, with just an intermittent bubble breaking through the surface.
Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours or more, stirring from time to time. While sauce is cooking, you are likely to find that it will begin to dry out and the fat will separate from the meat. To keep it from sticking, add ½ cup water as necessary. At the end of cooking, however, the water should be completely evaporated and the fat should separate from the sauce.
Taste and correct for salt. Add remaining tablespoon butter to the hot pasta and toss with the sauce. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan on the side.
I added 1T. chopped garlic for the first time although neither asks for it. I have been thinking it needed more flavour. Good decision.
I added just 1/4 t. of dried oregano.
And I substituted part heavy cream for the milk. Also good.
As I was helping a friend suddenly, I did the final simmer for only 1 hour. And I stopped then because I figured it could not get any better.
It is so good. I have packaged up bits for friends. It really is the best I've made and I had been making it, until about a year ago, using the Classic recipe.
So here is the new recipe with tonight's adjustments:
Bolognese Marcella Hazan
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 tablespoons butter, divided
½ cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup chopped carrot
new addition: Garlic 3 t.
¾ pound ground beef chuck
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
I added 1/4 t. dried oregano
1 cup whole milk , instead: 3/4 c. milk + 1/4 c. heavy cream
Whole nutmeg , I used a big 1/2 t. but I like nutmeg whenever milk is involved
1 cup dry white wine
1½ cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, torn into pieces, with juice
1¼ to 1½ pounds pasta (preferably spaghetti), cooked and drained
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese at the table
Put oil, 3 tablespoons butter and chopped onion in a heavy 3-½-quart pot and turn heat to medium. Cook and stir onion until it has become translucent, then add chopped celery and carrot. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring vegetables to coat well.
Add ground beef, a large pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper. Crumble meat with a fork, stir well & cook until beef has lost its red colour.
Add milk and let simmer gently, stirring frequently, until it has bubbled away completely. Add a tiny grating, about 1/8 teaspoon, fresh nutmeg and stir.
Add wine and let it simmer until it has evaporated. Add tomatoes and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients well. When tomatoes begin to bubble, turn heat down so that sauce cooks at the laziest of simmers, with just an intermittent bubble breaking through the surface.
Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours or more, stirring from time to time. While sauce is cooking, you are likely to find that it will begin to dry out and the fat will separate from the meat. To keep it from sticking, add ½ cup water as necessary. At the end of cooking, however, the water should be completely evaporated and the fat should separate from the sauce.
Taste and correct for salt. Add remaining tablespoon butter to the hot pasta and toss with the sauce. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan on the side.
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