Bolognese Ragu

This is my alternative to using Beef Mince not a fan sorry so use these cuts of meat.

Shin of Beef or Rib Beef or one other Braising Steak.

Various recipes say add Garlic and others add Pancetta Cream, whole host of other ingredients.

Mine is simple and no fuss and easy.

One cheat I use is a tin of Chopped Tomatoes with Onions, Herbs.  Tomato Puree.

Italian brand called Maggi which is available online for use in Bolognese sauces.

I also use one other Passata sieved tomatoes the best you can afford.

One other important one have no time, by all means, use a good jar of Bolognese Sauce has to be the best you can afford and from Italy not supermarket own brands.

Brands are Barilla I buy this online in bulk, best ever the one the Italians have in there store cupboards.

I also buy Napolina products Maggi and some other brands but cheat tart these up add other herbs, Cherries Tomatoes Tins again use Organic online.

Online websites a godsend if you’re serious about cooking.

Just a few lines many retailers those who from Italy are keen to have your business so often get products at reduced prices, may pay finally sometimes delivery but it is often the a good idea.

The products lines are organic and in Italy by law, all schools have to give children organic vegetarian lunches.

So these I use.  Worth seeking out. Find lately too sweet sugar high content and not from Italy although say on the label Italian Pasta sauce may not be originally from Italy.

Anyway here is the amazing recipe.

You need one slow cooker always useful for Ragu.

INGREDIENTS

• Beef shin, Rib or Braising steak.
• Onions any diced use a bag or use food processor slicer attachment.
• Passata 690g or use Tin Chopped Tomatoes Maggi brand or use Barilla Pasta sauce. Might need two.
• Carrots used two large ones. Diced up use food processor or blender.
• Tomato Puree a good squirt.
• Herbs Oregano dried one teaspoon is strong can add more.

METHOD

Season Meat add to Slow Cooker whole if too big dice it up.  Chunky.

Reason your adding it whole is because towards end of cooking when switched off you shred this with spoons or use utensils whatever you have.

In the slow cooker you get then strands shreds of meat which is something rustic but that is the whole idea of Bolognese.

It is a rustic peasant dish left for hours.

Add Carrots diced small dice if not use food processor makes it small add Onions.

Add whatever your using jar or a tin of sauce or Passata. One tip some jars of cheap sauce are watery so if left a long time. Becomes floating mess on the surface of the slow cooker not pleasant.

Reason use Italian brands thick sauces and hold their shape when cooking. Good Squirt of Tomato Puree and herbs Oregano.

Leave for six hours.

I started this morning’s around afternoon evenings meat is tender falling apart carrots into tomato sauce mixed in.

Switch off shred into strands shreds bits.

Serve with pasta – I use Short Shapes, not Spaghetti. This is a Northern Dish from Bologna. Spaghetti used in the South of Italy not right.

Use Tagliatelle dried or fresh is the normal choice in Northern Italy.

Gnocci or other ones short shapes Fusilli Rigatoni.

Layer this up for any Al Forno Pasta Dish Lasagne use this with good quality meatballs.

Cheese Parmesan or Pecorino grated use Food processor grater cheese attachment or use blender fine.

Be careful never buy grated Parmesan I know a time saver but if you want to do this recipe use buy cheese whole.

Cannot afford Parmesan use Pecorino or Grand Padano.

Keep in a tub freezer.

Pecorino is a sheep cheese and has a slight strong flavour used in sauces like this. Cheese is used in Meat dishes to cut through the richness of the recipe.

Hope everyone enjoys.

I meant to add freezer friendly in zip bags labelled defrost overnight.

Just put through oven or on the hob warm through.