Spicy Baked Bolognese - Recipe below (not traditional) Ingredients - Serves 6 175g ground beef 175g ground pork (you can also just use beef) 1/2 stick butter 4tbsp 2 large onions diced 2 large carrots diced 4 celery sticks diced 4 cloves garlic crushed 250ml white wine (I often use water) 250ml whole milk 2 heaped tbsp gochujang Whole nutmeg for grating 1/4 tsp Parmesan for the table Salt and pepper to taste My mother was an Italian American, Sicilian to be specific. I'm not sure she would approve of this recipe but I know she would be happy I'm still cooking. I often make her Bolognese, and this recipe takes inspiration from a lot of those classic steps. Other than the obvious use of gochujang instead of tomato, the big differences are browning the meat on its own, the order in which I use the wine and milk, and baking instead of leaving it on the stove. I find the baking easier to manage and always seem to get more tender meat. I prefer the taste of browned beef as well as the slightly bigger pieces you get in the final sauce. I reduce with wine and then bake in milk because I prefer a slightly more acidic sauce. The end result has a mellow spice and is a fun variation if you’re looking to change things up. Method Sweat the onions on a medium heat in butter and crushed garlic - about 2 minutes. Add the carrots and celery. Cook for about 2-3 minutes stirring throughout. Set the veggies aside and strain the excess butter into a bowl to finish the sauce later, especially helpful if you opt for a leaner cut of beef. Clean out the pan, and bring to a high heat. Add the meat making sure to season with salt and pepper - then smash down like a burger (use a pan lid/or large spatula) allowing a crust to develop on one side. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Break the meat up with the back of a wooden spoon or fork. Add half of the wine and cook until completely evaporated - repeat. Add the carrots, celery, and gochujang. Cook until everything is well coated. Add the milk and nutmeg making sure that everything is just covered (add more milk if needed). Bake uncovered at 125c 250f for 1 hour. You can eat it after the 1st hour but I like to top it up with half a cup of water and allow it to cook for another hour. Keep an eye on it throughout making sure that it doesn’t dry out - adding a little water when necessary. By the end, most of the liquid should be evaporated and the fat should separate from the sauce. Some fat will be at the top of the sauce when it comes out of the oven - I like to mix it through but you can remove it with a spoon before serving if you prefer. Check for seasoning and mix well before serving. Eat it how you like. I've enjoyed it with all sorts of carbs. xx #fyp #spicybolognese #bolognese