Spaghetti Bolognese
from Italian Traditional Food

Spaghetti Bolognese is a traditional favourite

Spaghetti Bolognese has been a popular pasta dish for many years, and rightly so! It provides a quick, warm and appetizing meal. I have been making Spaghetti Bolognese for my family for years and they still love it!

Serves: 2

Ingredients for Spaghetti:

spaghetti (enough for 2 people)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon of olive oil (or 1/2 oz butter)
salt (to taste)
freshly ground pepper from the mill

Method:

1. Fill two-thirds of a large saucepan with cold water.

2. Add the salt.

3. Bring to the boil.

4. Lower the spaghetti into a large saucepan of the boiling salted water.

5. Stir once or twice with a wooden spoon.

6. Cook for about 10 minutes or according to the manufacturer's packet instructions. Spaghetti should be cooked to "al dente" not soft or overcooked in texture.

7. Quickly drain in a colander.

8. Pour over 3 cups of hot water, drain again well, then tip back into the saucepan.

9. Add olive oil or butter and season with salt and pepper ground from the mill.

10. Serve spaghetti in individual plates.

11. The spaghetti is then ready to have the Bolognese sauce spooned over the top.

Ingredients for Bolognese sauce:

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 oz chicken livers (about 3)
1 large onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 tablespoon of flour
salt and pepper (to taste)
3 teaspoons tomato puree
1/2 pint beef stock (use beef stock cube)
2 tablespoon Marsala wine
Parmesan cheese (grated)

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a small saucepan.

2. Put in the livers, saute for 3-4 minutes until "seized" and nicely brown.

3. Take out the livers and keep warm.

4. Add the onion and garlic, saute until turning colour.

5. Stir in the flour.

6. Add tomato puree, beef stock and Marsala wine.

7. Stir until boiling.

8. Simmer for 10 minutes.

9. Add the liver coarsely chopped.

10. Continue to simmer until thick and syrupy for a further 10 minutes.

11. Add seasoning to taste.

12. Spoon sauce over the spaghetti.

13. Serve hot.

14. Serve grated Parmesan cheese separately.

Tip:

1. Spaghetti Bolognese is best served "al dente" and piping hot.

2. Bolognese sauce should be made with chicken livers but lamb's liver can be substituted although it does not give the same strong flavour.

3. The Bolognese sauce is best spooned over rather than mixed in with the spaghetti.

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