Mary Berry has shared her twist on the classic bolognese recipe, and it’s all down to one ‘secret’ ingredient that she adds to the sauce to make it extra rich and tasty
Mary Berry, Britain’s cherished cooking queen, has revealed her secret to crafting the most indulgent and tender bolognese dish.
Perfect for a relaxing evening meal, Mary’s approach to this household favourite not only delivers comfort but an enhanced flavour journey thanks to her distinctive preparation technique.
In a BBC appearance, Mary unveiled her “delicious” interpretation of a beloved classic, explaining: “Nothing beats a hearty supper when you’ve worked up an appetite, and this recipe is my delicious version of one of our nation’s go-to dishes. We Brits cook bolognese more than any other meat recipe, so here is how it goes.”
Designed to feed six people and straightforward to assemble in less than thirty minutes, the enchantment of this meal happens during the two-hour gentle cooking process, guaranteeing the meat becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender, reports the Express.
Ingredients
500g of pork mince.
500g of beef mince.
500g of passata.
400g of chopped tomatoes.
200ml of beef stock.
150ml of wine.
Two chopped onions.
Two sticks of chopped celery.
One large chopped carrot.
Three crushed garlic cloves.
Three tablespoons of sundried tomato paste.
Four tablespoons of double cream.
Two tablespoons of chopped thyme leaves.
Four bay leaves.
Salt and pepper to serve.
450g of pappadelle pasta.
Salt for the pasta water.
Parmesan cheese.
Basil leaves to serve.
Method
Begin by heating your oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas Mark 3 and heating oil in a substantial pan on the hob.
Add diced carrots, celery, and onions, sautéing over a vigorous heat for roughly five minutes until they begin to soften. Sear both pork and beef mince in the same pan; Mary observed that using two varieties of meat delivers a “wonderful deep flavour”.
If the meat begins to stick together, don’t panic – simply use a pair of wooden spoons to break up your bolognese mixture properly.
Once the meat has broken down, incorporate the garlic, cooking momentarily before stirring in the tomato paste.
When everything is thoroughly combined, add the beef stock, tinned tomatoes, and passata, giving your bolognese a good mix as it begins to bubble gently.
Now’s the time to add a splash of wine and season with herbs, salt and pepper.
Mary favours white wine, though red works equally well.
Whilst many would simmer their bolognese on the hob, Mary champions a gentle oven method for an incredibly tender and flavoursome sauce.
She explained: “Most people cook bolognese on the hob, but I have a good tip that will make the most tender, deeply flavoured bolognese that you have ever tasted. It really does bring out the flavour of all the ingredients.”
After an hour of oven cooking, fold in double cream – Mary’s “secret” technique for creating a wonderfully thick sauce.
She revealed: “After an hour in the oven, my secret is to make it even richer by adding in double cream. Don’t worry, it doesn’t curdle or anything like that, it just enriches it. What I want to end up with is a fairly thick mixture.”
Return the sauce to the oven with the lid on for another hour, allowing the meat to achieve ultimate tenderness.
As the bolognese approaches perfection, begin cooking your pasta in a pot of boiling salted water, draining it when al dente and setting it aside.
Mary shares one final piece of wisdom: “The Italian way isn’t to serve robust meat sauce with a skinny pasta like spaghetti. For the perfect pairing, choose a thicker shape like pappardelle [pasta].”
Serve the pasta and bolognese on a plate, garnished with Parmesan cheese and basil leaves.