Bolognese is one of those dishes that food bloggers rarely write about, probably because everyone already has their own recipe, as though it is an integral part of inherited human knowledge. However, the public at large still seem to buy jars of the damn stuff or develop poor imitations of what this classic dish should be – this recipe cometh to set the record straight. A good Bolognese recipe, frugal or otherwise, is just as important as any other… Oh look, here’s one now!
As promised, little over a week ago, here is my post for homemade ravioli and what good ravioli it was too! As expected, it turned out to be a little trickier than my previous attempt at tagliatelle, but as you can see, the end result wasn’t entirely offensive. The only reason ravioli is made more difficult than average pasta is that one must roll one’s dough out to the pasta machine’s thinnest setting, which only serves to pique one’s chances of manhandling it. Still, after a couple of tribulations, we were each faced with a scrumptious plate of rather interesting pasta.
A couple of weeks ago, my girlfriend bought a pasta machine. It was really inexpensive – around £20 – and of surprisingly good quality. So, since the machine itself was rather economical and pasta making is something I’ve wanted to do for quite a while, I decided to write an entry on the process. Firstly, it must be said that although the process can get a little fiddly, it is relatively easy. Strangely, it feels more like an activity than any other type of cooking in which I’ve ever partaken. As such, though it takes a little time and ample dedication, it never really feels like a chore. In fact, you almost forget that any end product will come of your efforts.
One of the most enjoyable things about food blogging is its innate ability to furnish one with a wider knowledge of food, via the community. Though no one blog has influenced, or inspired me, in a particularly direct sense, certain ideas, as well as types of food, do tend to rub-off onto my gastronomic sleeve fairly frequently. Of course, that doesn’t mean that none of you are inspirational, you most certainly are, only that my blog has a very distinct drive and direction. This dish marks just one of the many culinary blotches which reside upon my metaphorical garments and I am so glad that it decided to transfer itself so vividly. Indeed, though they take a little time, care and preparation, arancini, which are essentially crispy balls of risotto, are exceptionally delicious, almost to the point of fatal delirium.
As you may, or may not, know, slow cooked beef is one of my favourite foods. Indeed, this is my second such recipe of the year, the first being a rather exquisite beef bourguignon. Beef, prepared in this way, has become a regular fixture on my eating calendar for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I have taken the decision to stop eating meat flippantly. Meat is expensive, nowhere near as sustainable as vegetables or pulses and unhealthy if eaten too often. Indeed, the world could do with each and every meat eater indulging in a little less animal. Secondly, when I do decide to give in to my carnivorous tendencies, the best cure for an absence of meat is a rich, deep and delicious beef stew. I don’t mean to preach, this isn’t the Vegetable Church.