Flavourful step-by-step bolognaise with Marco Pierre White

Ingredients

• 500 g Beef Mince (dry‑aged if possible, otherwise regular ground beef; 80% lean)
• 1 large Onion (peeled and grated)
• 1 large Carrot (peeled and grated)
• 1 large Celery Stalk (grated)
• 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil (extra‑virgin, for sautéing)
• 1 tsp Fresh Thyme (leaves stripped)
• 1 Bay Leaf (whole)
• 150 ml Red Wine (dry, decent quality; optional but recommended)
• 400 g Canned Tomatoes (whole peeled or crushed; if unavailable use tomato paste (2 tbsp) diluted with 200 ml water)
• to taste Salt (sea salt)
• to taste Black Pepper (freshly ground)

Instructions

1. Grate the vegetables

   Using a box grater, grate the onion, carrot, and celery until they are fine shreds. Mince the garlic.

   Time: PT5M

2. Heat oil and brown the beef

   Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the skillet and heat over high until the oil is just smoking. Add the beef mince, spreading it out in a thin layer. Do NOT stir immediately; let the meat release its water and begin to caramelize for about 4 minutes.

   Time: PT4M

   Temperature: high heat

3. Break up the meat and continue browning

   After the initial steam has evaporated, gently break the meat with a wooden spoon without moving the pan. Continue to brown until the meat is deep brown and no large lumps remain.

   Time: PT6M

   Temperature: high heat

4. Add the grated vegetables

   Push the meat to the sides of the pan, creating a small well in the center. Add the grated onion, carrot, celery, and minced garlic, along with thyme and bay leaf. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and their moisture evaporates (about 8 minutes).

   Time: PT8M

   Temperature: medium‑high

5. Deglaze with red wine

   Pour in 150 ml red wine, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine by about 90% (approximately 5 minutes) until it is almost syrupy and the alcohol scent disappears.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium

6. Add tomatoes

   Stir in the canned tomatoes (or tomato paste diluted with water). Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then season with salt and pepper.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: medium

7. Oven‑slow simmer

   Cover the skillet with a tight‑fitting lid or foil and place it in a pre‑heated oven at 140 °C. Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes, checking once halfway to stir the edges back into the sauce.

   Time: PT1H15M

   Temperature: 140°C

8. Finish and rest

   Remove the pan from the oven, discard the bay leaf, and give the sauce a final stir. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes; the sauce will thicken further. For best flavor, refrigerate and reheat the next day.

   Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

3 g