Name: Old-Fashioned Spaghetti Bolognese
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 500 g beef mince; 100 g pancetta diced; 100 g carrot chopped; 150 g onion diced; 100 g celery diced; 3 garlic clove; 50 g tomato paste; 800 g canned tomatoes chopped; 200 ml milk; 150 ml white wine; 200ml beef stock (liquid); 2 bay leaves; 100 ml olive oil; 5 g salt; 400 g spaghetti; 200 g parmesan cheese grated

by MyKitchenStories Last updated on 04/14/2025

There are a lot of ways to make a Bolognese sauce and some of them involve some strange ingredients, like this sauce I was taught to make when I was living in Firenze years ago. This one uses smoked pancetta, white wine and milk to sweeten and soften the tomatoes. It's delicious!

- MyKitchenStories

Ingredients

500 g beef mince
100 g pancetta diced
100 g carrot chopped
150 g onion diced
100 g celery diced
3 garlic clove
50 g tomato paste
800 g canned tomatoes chopped
200 ml milk
150 ml white wine
200ml beef stock (liquid)
2 bay leaves
100 ml olive oil
5 g salt
400 g spaghetti
200 g parmesan cheese grated

Method

Step 1

Heat the olive oil and sweat the vegetables and pancetta off, until softened.
Step 2

Add the meat and break it up while cooking, until it is browned and the liquid has evaporated.
Step 3

Add the white wine and reduce by half. Add the tomato paste, stock, milk, bay leaves, tomatoes and salt.
Step 4

Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer with the lid on for up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Test for seasoning at the end.
Step 5

When the sauce is ready boil a large pot of salted water and cook the Spaghetti.
Step 6

Drain the Spaghetti, reserving about 3 tablespoons of the cooking water. Put the spaghetti back into the pot, adding the water. Put over a low flame and add the sauce, stirring with tongs to combine.
Step 7

Serve with the bolognese sauce and parmesan cheese