Portions
6
Bolognese
15 min. prepare
120 min. simmer
Pasta
- 45 min. prepare
- 60 min. rest
- 30 min. rest 2nd time
- 4 min. cook
Recipe
Pasta Bolognese
To make pasta at home is a lovely way to spend time together as friends or family. Furthermore, it is surprisingly simple to make with this recipe and super delicious.
You only need a couple of kitchen tools. A bowl, a rolling pin and a clean tablecloth will do. A pasta machine is a bonus.
Every region, sometimes even every village, has its recipe in Italy. Regardless of which Italian you speak to, according to him or here, the local variety is always best, likewise with olive oil, wine, cheese and ham. To be similarly proud of your efforts, make sure to use premium olive oil, local vegetables and farm-fresh eggs to get the best result.
This recipe is from my Italian mother, Ivana Fattori. She uses a pasta machine. Some of her friends think it is better to make the pasta by hand because that produces a ‘rougher’ product, which will make it easier for the sauce to be absorbed into the pasta.
Ingredients pasta dough
- 600 grams flour
- 4 eggs
- 2 or 4 egg yolks
By using more yolks, the pasta will become firmer.
Homemade Pasta
Put the flour in a bowl and make a hole in the middle, where you put the eggs and egg yolks. Next, mix the flour with the eggs in a bowl. Use a spoon or fork, and then continue with your hands.
Please do not use a mixer as it will destroy the texture of the pasta. When the mixture is a bit dry, add a bit of water (25 ml). Keep kneading; the dough should stick until it becomes a smooth ball.
Let the dough rest for an hour at room temperature in an airtight container, for instance, under the mixing bowl. Use this hour to make Bolognese sauce.
Preparing fresh pasta
Step 1
First, divide the dough into ten chunks on a smooth, clean surface. If this is your first time or doing it alone, you can also divide the ball into more pieces, as one chunk will end up about five feet long. This length can be tricky to work on alone.
Return the pieces that you are not working with under the bowl.
Use a rolling pin to flatten and lengthen the pieces if you’re making the pasta by hand.
Step 2
Roll out each chunk on a layer of flour using the rolling pin. If the dough gets sticky, pass it back through the flour. The pieces should end up flat and with a homogeneous consistency.
Fold the dough in half and roll out again. Repeat until you end with about ten pieces measuring 150 cm x 10 cm. Let these dry for half an hour.
Step 3
Cut the result into smaller pieces to make lasagna, tagliatelle or make ravioli. For the ravioli, you need an implement. First, layer the implement with dough. Fill each compartment on this with the filling. Cover with another layer of dough, and then carefully go over it with a rolling pin.
Step 4
When the Bolognese sauce is ready, cook the pasta for about 3 – 4 minutes. Drain the tagliatelle in a colander. Do not use cold water to rinse, as this will be detrimental to taste and consistency. Serve immediately (al dente) with the sauce.
Step 5
Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Step 1
First, divide the dough into ten chunks on a smooth, clean surface. If this is your first time or doing it on your own, divide the ball into more pieces, as one piece will end up being about five feet long. This length can be tricky to work on your own.
Return the pieces that you are not working with under the bowl.
Step 2
Start with a chunk of dough and leave the rest under the bowl. Roll the dough on a layer of flour till it becomes flat and homogeneous. Make sure that there is a thin layer of flour on both sides. The piece should be about eight cm wide.
Step 3
Pass the dough through the pasta machine. It is easier if you have some help with this. Start at the lowest (largest) setting. Then, fold the chunk in half and pass it through the machine one more time.
If the dough gets sticky, pass it back through the flour. Next, increase two positions, pass the dough through, fold in half and pass it through the pasta maker one more time.
Continue in this way until you reach the three highest positions. Here you only run the dough through the machine once. Turn evenly; otherwise, the dough will become wrinkly. If the piece gets too long, cut it in half.
You end with about ten long pieces of lasagna. Let it dry on a clean tablecloth for half an hour.
Step 4
Now adjust the machine to the tagliatelle position. Run the lasagna through the pasta machine. Place the result, the tagliatelle, a little apart so that they do not stick together.
Step 5
When the Bolognese sauce is ready, cook the pasta for about 3 – 4 minutes. Drain the tagliatelle in a colander. Do not use cold water to rinse, as this will be detrimental to taste and consistency. Serve immediately (al dente) with the sauce.
Step 6
Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients Bolognese sauce
- 300 grams of mixed minced meat
- 1 winter carrot scraped, chopped
- 1 handful of chopped celery
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 tin of peeled tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
- ½ tbsp butter
- salt and pepper or stock
- cube handful of fresh basil
- 80 grams Parmesan cheese
Pasta sauce
Stir in a saucepan the onion with butter and oil over high heat until just coloured. Add carrot and celery, let it fry for a minute. Add the meat, stirring continuously till all the fat has been absorbed.
Then add the can of tomatoes. Fill the can with water and add to the sauce. Let the sauce simmer on low heat with the lid on the pan. The longer, the better because the flavour gets more intense, but at least for a few hours. Stir occasionally to avoid burning the sauce. Use a slow cooker to simmer, if you have one.
Add basil at the end. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Add the sauce and grated Parmesan cheese to the cooked pasta.
Also, tasty to add to the sauce (according to Stefania) is:
- A small glass of red wine or Port before frying the minced meat.
- 75 grams of pancetta in pieces.
Enjoy!
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