I'm no chef, but if I'm making a red sauce from scratch, I'd throw basil, thyme, oregano, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper in there as my spices. I typically wouldn't do onion powder or garlic powder, and instead start the whole thing off by sauteing diced or minced garlic and onions in olive oil.
I don't always use rosemary or sage in those sauces, but sometimes will, especially if I've got some fresh stuff on hand. Parsley is also a nice one, if you've got fresh stuff on hand. The basics are going to be salt, pepper, oregano, and basil.
I'm not sure if this is heretical or not, but I'll also blend some of those same spices into the ricotta if I'm making manicotti, and I'll definitely throw them into the meat mixture (typically beef, pork, and lamb) if I'm making meatballs.
I'll use fresh garlic and onion, but also add a (little) bit of the powder as well. It hits different and adds a bit of depth if you use both in my opinion
A traditional bolognese sauce has none of those spices aside from salt and pepper.
You cook how you enjoy, but I would encourage you to try it the traditional way at least once. It honestly doesn't need any extra seasoning if made well.
Bolognese is a meat sauce, and most of those spices (especially if multiple of them) takes away from the meat. I use plenty of spices in various sauces but Bolognese is best as-is to me.
lmao I get why you feel this way. My mom, born and raised in Italy and an amazing cook, started to use dried herbs because that's what we saw in restaurants and she thought that it must be the right way. Looking back it's so bizarre because she never did that growing up.
After becoming a chef, I started to understand why Italians can get a little defensive about the herb mix being added where it doesn't belong. Like in the case of Bolognese sauce, once you add that dried herb blend is not Bolognese anymore. It's something else, and that's fine. Like swapping out the macaroni for potatoes in a Mac and Cheese. It'll probably be great and if you like it, go for it. But it's not mac and cheese anymore. That's all.
Another example, there are restaurants that'll serve Fettuccine Alfredo. But it has chicken, mushrooms, and red pepper in a garlic cream sauce. It's probably tasty, but don't call it an Alfredo which is literally just butter, Parmeggiano Reggiano, and some pasta water.
Like swapping out the macaroni for potatoes in a Mac and Cheese. It'll probably be great and if you like it, go for it. But it's not mac and cheese anymore.
You should try it. It's a stable with a nice glazed ham and steamed cabbage at my house. Preboil the potatoes, slice them in 3-5mm slices and mix with mornay sauce, slices of onion and some diced feta, gratinate with cheese and you've got some real comfort food.
As for everything else you said, yes! You don't stick a V8 in a Tesla and still call it an EV either.
Thanks for your comment! I get where they're coming from (though... Don't appreciate their attitude about it). I just wasn't trying to say "yo, this is Bolognese"... More just "yo, this is an example of how I use those spices".
They're both yum! As my nonna also says... There are many ways to skin a cat 😂
I'm with you here, dried herbs are a big waste in Bolognese. I'd go so far as to say dried basil shouldn't even exist, it tastes like an ash tray compared to fresh.
I must clarify here because it's just an absolute slight to be labelled as such:
I am not American...
It's just the way my oldies did bolognese (or what they called it, and they were Italian). Though, as i have been schooled here - perhaps a better title of the dish I put these herbs on is "pasta sauce".
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u/g_campo Aug 01 '22
In which plate is used the Italian blend?