I've had a request for some lasagna so I made the bolognese first.
This makes the kind of bolognese that sits on a slow burner on an Italian stove all day as people pass by and dip bread in it. You could eat a bowl of this plain without any pasta. It is that good. Fry about 8 pieces of bacon. Remove the bacon and leave the grease in the pot.
Rehydrate about 1/2 cup of dried mushrooms.
You need a selection of different meats for flavor and texture. I used pork steaks, chicken livers, smoked ham hocks, pigs feet and smoked pork chops.
Season the pork steaks with salt and pepper and granulated garlic.
Heat the bacon grease until it is very hot and sear the steaks on both sides.
Make sure they have a crispy brown crust.
Dice onions, celery, carrots and thinly slice a bulb of fennel.
Remove the steaks and set aside.
Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to the remaining bacon grease.
Add all of the vegetables to the pot.
Remove the mushrooms from the liquid, reserving the liquid.
Add the mushrooms to the pot. Sprinkle the entire surface with granulated garlic.
Cook until the vegetables begin to soften.
Push the vegetables to the side of the pot and add 2 pounds of ground meat.
An old Italian woman told me to always add some diced pepperoni to my bolognese. She said it is a Sicilian secret.
Dice the crisp bacon and add it to the pot.
And always mince 3 or 4 anchovies and add them as well. Trust me, you will never taste anything fishy from this step.
Strain the mushroom water and pour it in.
Now add all the meat. The chicken livers should be minced before going into the pot but the rest can go in whole.
Pour in 2 cups of a bold red wine.
Add 2 large cans of crushed tomatoes.
Add several tablespoons of beef demi glace.
Add 4-5 bay leaves and a bunch of thyme.
Pour in 2 cups of beef stock.
Add several tablespoons of ground pepper and some salt.
Add a good grinding of fresh nutmeg.
Stir it up from the bottom, cover and place it in a 250 degree oven for 4 hours. Stir it occasionally.
After 4 hours remove the pot from the oven. Remove all of the meat except for the pepperoni and chicken livers which at this point are almost impossible to find. Throw the meat away, you only wanted it to add flavor which it has done by now. The pigs feet add the nice sheen you see and they help to thicken the sauce.
The last step is to add about 1/2 cup of cream. Now try not to eat it all until you make the lasagna!
I've had a request for some lasagna so I made the bolognese first.
This makes the kind of bolognese that sits on a slow burner on an Italian stove all day as people pass by and dip bread in it. You could eat a bowl of this plain without any pasta. It is that good. Fry about 8 pieces of bacon. Remove the bacon and leave the grease in the pot.
Rehydrate about 1/2 cup of dried mushrooms.
You need a selection of different meats for flavor and texture. I used pork steaks, chicken livers, smoked ham hocks, pigs feet and smoked pork chops.
Season the pork steaks with salt and pepper and granulated garlic.
Heat the bacon grease until it is very hot and sear the steaks on both sides.
Make sure they have a crispy brown crust.
Dice onions, celery, carrots and thinly slice a bulb of fennel.
Remove the steaks and set aside.
Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to the remaining bacon grease.
Add all of the vegetables to the pot.
Remove the mushrooms from the liquid, reserving the liquid.
Add the mushrooms to the pot. Sprinkle the entire surface with granulated garlic.
Cook until the vegetables begin to soften.
Push the vegetables to the side of the pot and add 2 pounds of ground meat.
An old Italian woman told me to always add some diced pepperoni to my bolognese. She said it is a Sicilian secret. 
Dice the crisp bacon and add it to the pot.
And always mince 3 or 4 anchovies and add them as well. Trust me, you will never taste anything fishy from this step.
Strain the mushroom water and pour it in.
Now add all the meat. The chicken livers should be minced before going into the pot but the rest can go in whole.
Pour in 2 cups of a bold red wine.
Add 2 large cans of crushed tomatoes.
Add several tablespoons of beef demi glace.
Add 4-5 bay leaves and a bunch of thyme.
Pour in 2 cups of beef stock.
Add several tablespoons of ground pepper and some salt.
Add a good grinding of fresh nutmeg.
Stir it up from the bottom, cover and place it in a 250 degree oven for 4 hours. Stir it occasionally.
After 4 hours remove the pot from the oven. Remove all of the meat except for the pepperoni and chicken livers which at this point are almost impossible to find. Throw the meat away, you only wanted it to add flavor which it has done by now. The pigs feet add the nice sheen you see and they help to thicken the sauce.
The last step is to add about 1/2 cup of cream. Now try not to eat it all until you make the lasagna!
Comments
Mmmm, I can almost smell it
Have a great day now!
Christer,