Mary Berry, Britain's beloved cooking icon, has shared her secret to making a richer and more tender bolognese sauce. The key, she revealed, is adding double cream during the slow cooking process.
In a BBC appearance, Berry explained her method: '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.' Her recipe serves six and requires about 30 minutes of preparation, followed by two hours of gentle oven cooking.
Berry recommends using both pork and beef mince for a 'wonderful deep flavour'. After searing the meat and adding vegetables, garlic, tomato paste, stock, tinned tomatoes, passata, wine, and seasoning, she transfers the sauce to an oven preheated to 160C (140C Fan/Gas Mark 3).
After one hour, Berry stirs in double cream. 'Don't worry, it doesn't curdle or anything like that, it just enriches it,' she said. The sauce then returns to the oven for another hour with the lid on, resulting in a thick, tender mixture.
For serving, Berry advises pairing the sauce with a thicker pasta like pappardelle, as 'the Italian way isn't to serve robust meat sauce with a skinny pasta like spaghetti'. Finish with Parmesan cheese and basil leaves.
