I don’t know if some of you can relate, but some dishes get me confused as to how I will be serving them and how I prefer to eat them. With or without cheese on top? Do I melt the cheese before or put it on top as a final touch and enjoy a stronger taste? Do I mix the caramelized onions in or do I just let them add a crispy taste with each bite? So confusing, don’t you think?
Spaghetti bolognese has always been one of those confusing dishes. Before it became “complicated”, it was pretty straightforward to me. On the stove, there were two casseroles: one with plain spaghetti and another with the bolognese sauce. Each one of us would decorate his dish as he pleased and the grated cheese was there as a topping. But then, someone in the family – I really don’t remember who – had the great idea to complicate it further. On that specific day, we came back home from school to a different bolognese. It was sitting in an oven dish, all mixed up, with melted cheese on top. Apparently, it had been mixed and topped with cheese then placed in the oven to gratinate nicely.
I’m still very confused as to how to have it every time, but here is the gratinated version – because that’s the one I feel like having now 😉
Gratinated and Irresistible Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe
What you’ll need (for 4 persons)
- 500 g spaghetti (you can use whole wheat for extra fiber)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 200 g minced meat
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes
- 1 can of peeled tomatoes
- 2 tsp of tomato paste
- 200 g emmental cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chili flakes, to taste (optional)
How to make it
- In a large saucepan, heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil and cookthe diced onion, tomatoes, and minced meat until the meat is cooked. Make sure to add salt and pepper.
- Add thepeeled tomatoes and 1 Tbsp of olive oil, and cook, stirring occasionally on a medium fire. Bring to a boil and lower the fire, then add the tomato paste and stir. Season and let the sauce simmer until it thickens.
- In a separate pot, cook the spaghetti as instructed on the pack.
- When the spaghetti and sauce are done, pour the sauce on the drained pasta and mix well.
- Place the mix in an oven dish and sprinkle generously with grated cheese.
- Place in the oven until the cheese is melted and has completely covered the pasta.
And voila! Love (handles) on a plate!
