The most important thing about a Bolognese is the so-called “Soffritto”: Add a good block of butter (approx. 125 g) and a little olive oil (so that the butter doesn’t burn) to a pan.
Clean or peel the onions, carrots and celery, chop very finely and cook slowly (at least 30 minutes) on the lowest possible heat until the vegetables are translucent and soft.
It’s important that the vegetables don’t fry, but really just steam – so don’t let them get too hot!
Meanwhile, fry the ground beef in another pan until it begins to caramelize.
Then deglaze with a splash of white wine so that everything baked on can be removed from the base.
Important: Now, depending on the amount of sauce, add approx. 1/4 to 1/2 liter of milk, which will surround the minced meat and give it a very mild taste.
As soon as the meat with the white wine and milk comes to the boil, add the canned tomatoes (unfortunately we don’t have the necessary fresh tomatoes).
The San Marzano plum tomatoes from the Naples area are best suited for this.
These have their own sweet taste, which is very beneficial for Bolognese sauce and also a good Napoli sauce.
As soon as this has all boiled again, add the “Soffritto”.
The sliced garlic and the mashed pepperoncini can now also be added.
The Bolognese can’t simmer long enough.
About 5 hours would be ideal. But it should simmer for at least 2 hours.
Then, if necessary, let it cool down and warm it up slowly about 1 hour before the meal (but it doesn’t have to, you can also serve it straight away).
Tip: You can also add a little freshly chopped carrot and celery to give the vegetables a little more bite. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
In the meantime, cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain.
Arrange the spaghetti on plates and spread the bolognese over it. Serve hot.
