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Delia Smith Bolognese Sauce Recipe

Delia Smith Bolognese Sauce Recipe

Delia Smith's bolognese sauce recipe is rich, deeply flavoured and slow-cooked the proper way.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 6 People
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: British, Italian
Calories: 285
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 2 carrots finely chopped
  • 2 celery sticks finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves crushed
  • 500 g minced beef
  • 100 ml whole milk
  • 150 ml red wine
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Fresh basil to finish

Method
 

  1. Soften onion, carrots and celery, then add garlic.
  2. Brown the minced beef, breaking it up as it cooks.
  3. Add milk and simmer until almost evaporated.
  4. Add red wine and reduce for 2–3 minutes.
  5. Stir in tomatoes, tomato purée and bay leaf.
  6. Simmer partially covered on low for at least 2 hours.
  7. Adjust seasoning towards the end.
  8. Remove bay leaf, scatter with basil, and serve.

Notes

Don't skip the milk step — it rounds out the flavour and balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
Chop the vegetables finely so they melt into the sauce rather than staying chunky.
Give it the full 2-hour simmer for the best developed flavour.
Tastes even better the next day, making it an excellent make-ahead sauce.
Freezes well for up to 3 months.