Recipe - Bolognaise my way, what’s yours?

At The Boys Catering, we believe the best recipes often come from unlikely places—not just handed down, but discovered, reimagined, and made our own. That’s how my version of bolognaise was born—not from my family kitchen, but from a rustic farmhouse in Puglia, guided by the hands of a nonna who cooked like the world was watching.

It’s not the way my family makes bolognaise. Ours was quick, hearty, made for midweek dinners. But what I learned in Italy was slower, deeper, and unapologetically generous. It starts with a soffritto of onion, celery, and garlic, simmered in olive oil until soft. Then comes pancetta (or herbed sausage), giving the sauce a base note of smoke and salt.

Beef mince is browned gently, then layered with tomato paste, Italian herbs, stock, and finally—full cream milk. Yes, milk. It softens the acidity, dissolves sinews in the meat and rounds everything out. A tin of chopped tomatoes comes in late, followed by a long, slow simmer that pulls it all together. Ninety minutes minimum.

It’s not fancy. It’s not trendy. But it’s mine—built on a foundation of tradition, adapted through experience, and now a signature at our table.

So whether your recipe comes from a grandmother, a YouTube video, or a sun-drenched Italian kitchen, there’s magic in making it yours. My bolognaise tells that story—and we’d love to cook it for you sometime.

It makes for incredible leftovers - if you are lucky. Pile it onto sourdough toast with grated Parmesan of Pecorino for a delish lunch 

Martin's Creamy Bolognaise

Ingredients

·       1 large brown onion, finely chopped

·       2 celery stalks, finely chopped

·       1 large carrot, chopped

·       4 cloves garlic, minced

·       100g of smoky pancetta or back bacon (herbed pork sausage removed from casing is

also a delicious way to bring in flavour)

·       Olive oil

·       1 kg beef mince

·       1 tin chopped tomatoes

·       2 tbsp tomato paste

·       1 tbsp of Italian herbs

·       500ml of full cream milk

·       500ml of good beef stock

·       Salt and black pepper, to taste

·       Optional: a pinch of sugar to balance acidity

Cooking Instructions

1. Prep the base: Heat olive oil in a deep pan or pot. Sauté the chopped onions celery and carrot together until softened, about 5–7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1–2 more minutes. Add the cubes of pancetta.

2. Brown the meat: Add the beef mince. Stir until browned and no longer pink. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

3. Add depth: Stir in tomato paste, herbs. Mix well to coat the meat and bring out the aromatics.

4. Deglaze and simmer: Pour in the stock to deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom. Let it reduce slightly.

5. Build the sauce: Add the chopped tomatoes. Lower the heat and simmer gently before adding the milk—simmer —for at least 90 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

6. Finish with herbs: Just before serving, stir in fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

7. Serve: Perfect over al dente pasta, with a sprinkle of Parmesan or even on a toasted roll.