proper plant-based bolognese
Bologna is the origin of Bolognese, but my house is the origin of a proper one. That is just to get the Italians talking, however it is a rather lovely bolognese.
SERVES 3-4 PEOPLE
15 min prep + 20 min cooking = 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
mince:
100g dried TVP (soy protein, it’s £2.25 from Holland & Barrett)
300ml reduced salt veggie stock
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano/mixed herbs
1 tsp cinnamon
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
sauce:
2 shallots
2 medium-sized carrots
1 celery stick
4 garlic cloves grated
3 tbsp tomato paste
50ml white wine (or 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano/mixed herbs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tin plum tomatoes (or chopped tomatoes)
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp red miso paste
other bits:
350g dried pasta (go for any you fancy)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (or this)
METHOD:
Soak the TVP in a heatproof bowl with the boiling hot stock for 10 mins. Then drain it and pop on a lined baking tray. Rub in the spices, salt, pepper and the oil and make sure everything is covered up in goodness with the spices. Oven for 20 mins at 200°C, until they go golden brown.
Peel and dice the shallot, then dice the carrot and celery into small tiny pieces. Peel and grate the garlic. Add all that to a large pan with a drizzle of olive oil on a medium heat. Once softened, season with salt and pepper and add the tomato paste and wine (or balsamic).
Once the wine (or balsamic if you’re sober) has reduced, add the spices in and let them go fragrant, which means starts to smell good. Pop the tinned tomatoes in and break them down (if you’re using plum ones). Then fill the can halfway up with some tap water, swirl it around to get the excess tomato off the can, and add to the pan. Add the soy sauce & miso and stir together.
Ding ding, the mince should be done. Transfer the mince (carefully with oven mits) to the saucepan, easier to pick up the baking paper and funnel it in. Stir into the mix and add more water if looking too thick (anywhere up to 100ml). Let it reduce for 10 mins or even longer on a slow cook, just lower the heat.
Now is a good time to boil pasta, so do it. Cook it based on what your packet says, and then once that’s cooked to al dente, drain it and serve!!
Serving requires you to pop the pasta in some bowls, spoon some sauce on top, and mix in. Add a little bit more sauce and finish with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. Boom.