Michelin star chef urges people to add 'unusual' ingredient to bolognese

Spag bol is one of the most common everyday dishes in the UK. And it's a meal that most people will have their own different way of making it, whether it's by adding a unique ingredient or cooking it a certain amount of time.

Bolognese sauce, known in Italian as ragù alla bolognese or ragù bolognese, is the main variety of ragù in Italian cuisine. It's been a common dish since the 19th century, with the earliest recipe dating back to Imola, a city near Bologna in Northern Italy.

Since then, there has been several adaptations of the dish, with most Italian chefs and families having different ways of making it. As the recipe later spread across the world, different nations have also invented their own ways of making the dish.

Michelin star-awarded chef Paul Foster, who is also known for appearing on BBC Saturday Kitchen, has taken to his TikTok account as he's urging people to add one ingredient they probably already have in their kitchens to their Bolognese sauce, as he claims it will make it 'better' and 'more authentic'.

"Are you adding milk to your Bolognese? If not, why not?" he asked his viewers. "If you want the best results based on authenticity, then follow my method."

He went on to say there's 'no such thing as one authentic recipe' but that everyone, even people in Italy, will have their own way of making it. However, a lot of Italian recipes will in fact use milk in the sauce.

Chef Paul then went on to share what he argues is the best way of making a bolognese. The first step is to finely dice a white onion, celery, and a carrot before putting that to the side to chop up some fresh thyme and grate some garlic cloves.

He then poured olive oil into a large pot before adding in his vegetables with a pinch of salt and left it to cook for three to four minutes, making sure it doesn't get any colour.

The chef then added in the thyme and garlic before cooking for another two minutes. Next Paul removed the vegetable mixtures out of the hot pan before adding more olive oil into the pot to cook your mince - he recommends using equal quantities of beef and pork mince.

After having cooked out any moisture and made sure the mince has browned, he added red wine to the meat mixture to let reduce before adding a generous helping of tomato puree. Then stir in the cooked veg from earlier along with a tin of chopped tomatoes and chicken stock - but you can also use beef stock.

"You wanna cook this gently for about three hours to reduce it, concentrate it, so it becomes thick and glossy," he said.

"And then in with the milk," he said as he poured in a glass of milk. "This gives it that creaminess without adding cream. Honestly, this is a game-changer."

Then just taste it for seasoning, adding in more salt and pepper if needed, before leaving it on the side as you cook your pasta.

"And that is a beautiful Spag Bol, as we call it," he said as he showed off his dish.

However, not everyone was impressed by his recipe as they couldn't believe adding milk would make it better.

"I am Italian and never known anyone to use milk," one person said. Someone else wrote: " Never in a million years."

However, another person argued: "I always add milk. Makes the meat more tender."

"It's not bolognese if your aren't adding milk. The original recipe has always had milk, any Italian knows this," someone else said.