SPAGHETTI ALLA BOLOGNESE

This would have to be the best known of all Italian pasta dishes .
The recipe for this dish varies  and is often not cooked as it should be .
Allow 125 gm of long spaghetti per person .
For 250 gm  of spaghetti bring 4.5 litres of water and 2 tbs of salt to a rigorous boil .
Put your spaghetti in the water unbroken.
Bring the water back to the boil.
Cook steadily for 12 minutes.
The spaghetti will swell to 3 times its original volume .
Stir once to make sure that pieces of pasta are sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Take a little piece out and taste it .
When it is tender but still firm to the touch , it is done .
Drain it in a colander.
Place it in a warmed dish , with a little warm oil .
turn your spaghetti over  and pile on your hot sauce.

RAGU BOLOGNESE

For 4 people the ingredients are 180gm of good quality lean minced raw meat .
90 gm of chicken livers
60 gm of uncooked ham
1 carrot
1 onion 
Small stalk of celery
2 tsp of concentrated tomato paste
Small glass of white wine
2 small glasses of beef stock or water.
Season with salt, pepper  and nutmeg .
15gm of butter.
heat the butter in a small saucepan , add the chopped ham and when the fat starts to run put in th finely chopped onion , carrot and celery .
When they have browned a little add the minced beef , stir it around so it browns evenly .
Add the chopped livers
Tomato paste
Add the white wine
Simmer for 5 minutes
Add the stock  ? water
add the seasonings
Cover your pan and simmer for 40 minutes .
I like to add  a cupful of cream before serving , this makes for a thicker and richer sauce.