So, I'm hosting a party this weekend. I want to make Kenji's Lasagna (https://www.seriouseats.com/no-holds-barred-lasagna-bolognese-pasta-italian-homemade-ricotta).
His recipe for the Bolognese sauce is different than the one he has here, which he links to in the lasagna recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-slow-cooked-bolognese-sauce-recipe
Is there a reason, apart from the amount of sauce needed, that the recipes would be so different? I thought I'd make a big batch of the sauce and have it for meals later in the week, but if there's a reason for the different recipe, I want to make sure I follow it. Hoping to impress my guests!
by Miserable-Ad-6943
3 Comments
I think it’s an Italian thing.
The recipes aren’t wildly different. Some of the details have been changed. He uses different aromatics, and cooks on the stove top rather than in the oven. That’s all details. Both dishes are clearly recognizable as a Bolognese and should come out fine.
And honestly, you could just make up your own variations, and it would still be fine. These are all the small personal touches. They are mostly a reflection of what the chef feels like on any given day. But as long as the key elements and techniques are there, it’ll come out great.
They are not all that different and probably taste very similar in the end. There are a lot of flavours in both; it’s not like they’re completely different sauces. His ragu recipe in The Food Lab is slightly different again. I’ve made that one in a slow cooker too, later cooking it down on the stovetop for a few hours. Disclaimer: I never did use veal or lamb in any of the variants, only beef and pork mince.