My Famous Spaghetti Bolognaise aka The SA Spag Bol
Everyone has their favourite way to make a great spaghetti bolognaise, this is my variation I have been making at home for years for my family. My parents love it and my father (who has always been my biggest critic) cant get enough of it.
Everyone has their favourite way to make a great spaghetti bolognaise, this is my variation I have been making at home for years for my family. My parents love it and my father (who has always been my biggest critic) cant get enough of it.
- Carbohydrate 54.281200747455 g
- Cholesterol 223.25 mg
- Fat 71.5582520833139 g
- Fiber 2.95122757004812 g
- Protein 49.8992723224537 g
- Saturated Fat 38.7316478124969 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (429g)
- Sodium 883.98074999996 mg
- Sugar 51.3299731774069 g
- Trans Fat 6.8610605208269 g
- Calories 1070 calories
Step-by-step
- Step 1 - The Spaghetti. There are two ways to cook spaghetti: the lazy way or the proper way. The lazy way: place your spaghetti in a microwave bowl, cover in boiling water and microwave for 10 to 12 minutes on high. The proper way: place saghetti in a pot, cover with boiling water and a bit of salt cook on a high heat until it starts to bubble then turn it down low and let it simmer, usually takes 10 to 15mins.
- Step 2 - The Bolognaise. In a hot large frying pan or wok, add your mince, break it up and cook it until it starts to brown over, and your tinned tomatoes, puree and sauce and mix it in, add a lid and let it simmer and cook on a low heat.
- Step 3 - The Cheese Sauce. If you know how to make a basic white sauce then you already know this part and may have a slightly different way to do it. My mother ensured the first thing I knew how to cook was a basic white sauce. (thank you mummy)
- Add your butter to a hot sauce pan and allow it to melt thoroughly, add your flour to the fully melted butter and mix it in to create what looks like a little dough ball you may have to add more flour) slowly add the milk bit by bit, keep stirring and don't over saturate it, you want it to slowly start becoming a sauce.
- Once you have the required consistancy ie no lumps or bumps, not too runny and not too thick start adding your cheese, bit by bit and keep stirring. You will need to do a taste test to ensure it is cheesey enough for you. Add a smidge of mustard to the sauce. I normally use the very tip of a knife as a measure around 1 ml, this will help bring out the flavour.
- Step 4 - Putting It All Together. You will need to keep an eye on the spaghetti while doing the othersteps, once the spaghetti is ready, pour out the excess water in the pot and give it a quick rinse with some cold water. Add your spaghetti to your bolognaise and mix it in well. You may want to transfer this over to a casserole dish. Flatten it out and add the cheese sauce on the top so it covers everything. if you have any excess grated cheese you can put this over the top.
- Pop it in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20 to 30 mins. Keep an eye on it, you want the cheese sauce to turn a nice golden brown.
- Step 5 - Serve. Cut out sections and serve on a plate with some nice Garlic Bread or even a side salad. Enjoy...
Sequencing the Elements
Coordinating multiple pans simultaneously prevents pasta from turning mushy while the meat simmers. Start the beef mince in a wide wok first to allow the excess moisture to evaporate fully before introducing the tinned tomatoes and puree. While the meat reduces over low heat, manage the pasta and the dairy sauce concurrently so nothing sits idle.
Mastering the Roux and Dairy
Building the cheese sauce requires patience when incorporating the milk into the melted butter and flour mixture. Whisk the milk in gradual splashes to prevent stubborn lumps from forming in the pan. A tiny measured milliliter of prepared English mustard added at the end cuts through the heavy fat content of the three hundred grams of cheese without dominating the flavor profile.
Baking to a Golden Crust
Transferring the combined pasta and meat into a casserole dish before blanketing it with the Mornay sauce ensures structural integrity when slicing portions. Bake the dish at 180 degrees Celsius until the dairy topping bubbles and develops deep amber patches. Pull the pan from the oven promptly at the twenty-minute mark to prevent the noodles from overcooking inside the thermal mass of the cheese.
