easyTime:2 hours +Serves:4 with leftovers
If there was any doubt over what Australia’s national dish is,it was dispelled at the start of the pandemic,when Australiansstripped supermarkets of the ingredients to make good ol’ spag bol (and toilet paper,but let’s not talk about that).
Let’s stop arguing over how an “authentic” ragu alla bolognese is made in Bologna. Australian bolognese may have been inspired by the northern Italian city,but the way it’s made around this country today is entirely our own.
Here’s how to make it the best version we can in Australia today.
Masterclass
The base
The base of a good braise or stew is important to its final flavour. Whether you want to call it a mirepoix,sofrito or simply “chopped vegies” is up to you. Onion,carrot and celery are the most common starting points,providing sweetness and,in the case of celery,a little pepperiness. For an Australian bolognese,it’s common to add other vegetables as well.
Using low to medium heat,fry the base vegies for as long as you can. I aim for about 15 minutes,but some cook it for 30 minutes or even longer. Add enough oil to stop it from catching on the base of the pot,but don’t overdo it. The mince will render its oil as it cooks and if you add too much oil at the start,you’ll be met with an overly oily bolognese at the end.
Timing
Both long and short timing are important for an Australian bolognese. The magic of bolognese sauce happens in the third hour of cooking,and I firmly agree. You can,of course,get by with a shorter cooking time,but a long braise turns the collagen of connective tissue in the meat to gelatine,giving your bolognese a rich mouthfeel. For this reason I also prefer to buy cheaper mince for bolognese. Expensive mince is leaner and often contains less connective tissue than cheaper mince,meaning that with long cooking they will become grainy and dry,rather than moist and rich.
But on the short side,the texture of your cooked pasta will make or break the dish. Overcooked pasta is flaccid,soggy and lacks both flavour and texture.
For dried pasta I set a timer for 2 minutes shorter than the time printed on the packet,and start testing from then. I want the pasta to be al dente – firm to the tooth,but not crunchy. Then I can transfer it to a pan to finish with the mantecatura.
Mantecatura
This Italian word describes the process of mixing ingredients for pasta or risotto to create an emulsified sauce. I think this is the key to all good pasta dishes,and it’s the reason the delicious pasta you get in most restaurants is mixed together with its sauce,rather than served as a plate of boiled noodles with a sauce dolloped on top.
The three key ingredients for a mantecatura are al dente pasta,a little pasta water and the sauce ingredients. Mixing these three together for a minute or two allows the pasta to absorb the flavour of the sauce,and for the oils to emulsify with the starchy water,giving the dish a richer,creamier texture. I always add a little extra oil (or butter) during this process.