Bean Bolognese Recipes

BEAN BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• 1. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Mash 1/2 cup beans in a small bowl with a fork. 2. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and salt; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and bay leaf; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add wine; increase heat to high and boil until most of the liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes (with juices), 2 tablespoons parsley and the mashed beans. Bring to a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Add the remaining whole beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more. 3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in the boiling water until just tender, about 9 minutes or according to package directions. Drain. 4. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls. Top with the sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan and the remaining parsley.

THE BEST BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Combine the beef and pork in a large bowl. "Pull" the ground meat apart with two forks as if you were shredding pulled pork, breaking up the clumps and incorporating the meat without compacting it. Continue to pull the meat apart until thoroughly mixed and no clumps remain.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Cook the pancetta, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and is golden brown on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the pancetta with a slotted spoon to a large bowl, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Spread half of the ground meat in an even layer in the pot and cook undisturbed until lightly golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, breaking up any clumps with the back of a spoon and scraping up any browned bits from the pot, until the meat is lightly browned on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the browned meat with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the pancetta, leaving the fat in the pot. Repeat with the remaining ground meat.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, celery, carrots, onions, bay leaf, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant and brick red, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, bring to a boil and cook until it reduces and thickens and no smell of alcohol remains, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the stock, milk and browned meat.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Add the Parmesan rind and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated away and the mixture resembles sloppy joes, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. There shouldn't be any rapid bubbles while cooking. Instead, the sauce should release occasional small bubbles. If you have a small burner you should use it; the larger burners even at their lowest setting might cook the sauce too quickly. If the sauce reduces too quickly, add 1/2 cup of stock or water and continue cooking; repeat if necessary. The sauce needs the full 2 to 2 1/2 hour cook time to develop the flavors.
• Discard the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Use the back of a spoon to break up any remaining clumps of meat for an even-textured sauce. Season with salt and keep warm.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta. If using fresh pasta, cook about 3 minutes. If using dry, cook until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions.
• Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and transfer to the sauce. Increase the heat to medium, bring the sauce to a simmer and cook, tossing the pasta constantly, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce is slightly thickened, adding pasta cooking liquid if necessary, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the pasta to a platter and top with grated Parmesan.

GREEN BEANS BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add the onions and saute over medium high heat till soft--about 4 minutes.
• Turn the heat to high and add the beans, cook, strring frequently, until the onions are a deep golden brown--about 8 minutes.
• Stir in the mortadella, cloves and stock and bring to a gentle boil over medium low heat.
• Cover and cook very slowly for about 15 minutes or until beans are tender, checking occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking (if necessary add a bit of water).
• Warm a serving bowl.
• When the beans are sufficiently soft, uncover the skillet, turn the heat to high, and turning the beans constantly, allow the remaining liquid to thicken.
• Pour into the bowl and serve.

VEGAN BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Pour 400ml boiling water over the dried porcini and leave for 10 mins until hydrated. Meanwhile pour 1 tbsp oil into a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt. Cook gently, stirring for 10 mins until soft. Remove the porcini from the liquid, keeping the mushroomy stock and roughly chop. Set both aside.
• Add the garlic and thyme to the pan. Cook for 1 min then stir in the tomato purée and cook for a min more. Pour in the red wine, if using, cook until nearly reduced, then add the lentils, reserved mushroom stock and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and leave to simmer with a lid on.
• Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan. Add the remaining oil, then tip in the chestnut, portobello and rehydrated mushrooms. Fry until all the water has evaporated and the mushrooms are deep golden brown. Pour in the soy sauce. Give everything a good mix, then scrape the mushrooms into the lentil mixture.
• Stir in the Marmite and continue to cook the ragu, stirring occasionally, over a low-medium heat for 30-45 mins until the lentils are cooked and the sauce is thick and reduced, adding extra water if necessary. Remove the thyme sprigs and season to taste.
• Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of salted water for 1 min less than packet instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving a ladleful of pasta water, then toss the spaghetti in the sauce, using a little of the starchy liquid to loosen up the ragu slightly so that the pasta clings to the sauce. Serve topped with fresh basil and some black pepper.

PAPPARDELLE WITH BEAN BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, 2 tablespoons parsley, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf. Sauté until vegetables begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Add tomato paste; stir 1 minute. Add squash; stir 1 minute. Add chopped tomatoes and all beans; stir 1 minute. Add wine and simmer 2 minutes. Mix in broth, cream, and reserved tomato juice. Simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, then cover and chill. Rewarm before using.)
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return pasta to same pot. Add sauce; toss over medium heat until coated. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese and 1 tablespoon parsley. Serve, passing remaining 1 cup cheese separately.

HEARTY BEAN & LENTIL VEGAN BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Set a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for one more minute.
• Squeeze the tomatoes to crush and add them to the pot along with the juices from the can. Add the water and honey and stir to combine. Add the lentils. Increase heat to bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are almost cooked through, about 20 minutes.
• Stir in the beans and the sprig of basil and continue to cook until thick and rich, about 5-10 more minutes. Remove basil. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
• Serve over your favorite pasta (we're partial to whole wheat spaghetti with this sauce), spooned over spaghetti squash, or in a baked sweet potato.
• Sauce keeps refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days. It also freezes very well.