Five Cheap Ways With Bolognese

May 21, 2012
By: Suzanne Fish

Five Cheap Ways with Bolognaise

When your finances aren’t quite looking as healthy as you were expecting, hold the temptation to resort to those notorious 11p noodles and beans on toast. This quick Bolognaise recipe can be spruced up into a different meal for three nights with the addition of a few extra ingredients- perfect for those busy weeks of revision.

The Basic Bolognaise

600g mince lamb/ beef

2 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

1 diced red onion

A clove of crushed garlic

1 tablespoon of tomato puree

2 grated carrots

A pinch of dried basil

A glug of olive oil

Based on your budget optional additions

1 glass of red wine

2 bay leaves

A pinch of Italian herbs mix

A sliced red pepper

Teaspoon of Worcester sauce

 

Method

Put a small amount of olive oil in a frying pan and then add the diced red onion. Fry the onion until it has gone soft and then add the mince.

Fry the mince while stirring it until it has gone completely brown. (Add a small amount of wine now, if you have decided to use some, then leave it to bubble away with a lid on for a few minutes.)

Then add the tins of tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients you have decided to use, as well as the remaining wine.

Bring to the boil, then simmer gently on a very low heat for between 10 minutes and 1 hour.

That’s your Bolognaise done. Get your student essential Tupperware out and split the mixture into 4 tubs. Pop them in the freezer for the rest of the week after they’ve cooled down.

Spruce it up

Spaghetti Bolognaise- the classic.

Boil some pasta or spaghetti, adding a little olive oil to the water to prevent sticking

Top with cheese and you’re ready to go!

Lasagne

Make a quick cheese sauce by melting a large knob of butter then adding a tablespoon of flour.

Mix this together until well combined then add a quarter of a pint of milk slowly, whilst continuing to stir.

Allow the sauce to thicken then add plenty of grated cheese and a big pinch of black pepper.

Place half your mince in the bottom of an ovenproof dish and cover with lasagne pasta sheets.

Then add the remaining mince, cover it with pasta sheets and add the remaining cheese sauce.

Sprinkle some grated cheese on top and place in the oven at 180 degrees for around 30 minutes.

Cottage Pie

Make some mash by peeling and chopping up a few potatoes and boiling them for 20 minutes.

Drain and mash.

Add a large knob of butter and a splash of milk or cream for that soft creamy texture.

Put your Bolognaise in an oven proof dish, top with the mash and a sprinkling of cheese.

Pop it under the grill until lovely and golden. Great for a comforting pick-me-up.

Chilli Con Carne

Italian cooks may turn their noses up at transforming a Bolognaise into a Mexican derivative, but it tastes good.

Add some kidney beans and chilli flakes or powder and serve with rice or on top of a jacket potato.

Tex-mex seasoning packets are also good for this and feel free to add any vegetables you have lying around.

Let’s face it; we need all the veg we can get during the dreaded exam term!

Nachos

Grab some nachos, arrange them on a plate and top with the chilli con carne variation.

Go crazy with toppings such as salsa, guacamole, cheese, sour cream and jalapenos.

Fair enough, this probably isn’t meal worthy or particularly healthy but great to share with friends.

The variations don’t end there! I’ve heard of recipes turning Bolognaise into a lunchtime toastie with mozzarella cheese or turning it into a pasty with some readymade puff pastry. Failing that, I’ve also heard of one housemate who was just really nice and made one big house meal…