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discoveredinaljAnd last but not least, the final episode of...
A Pros Cookbook!
A final spin through the choicest food bits highlighted in The Professionals.
Last serving: Tag Bol
Bodie knew that Doyle's spag bol was serious business: a creation for special occasions, meant to impress. He'd seen it maybe twice in all the years he'd been partnered with the man, and only tasted it once while Doyle was stirring the pot.
So he knew that when Doyle planned to feed it to Ann Holly, something serious was in motion.
And it was time for him to plan his own counteroffensive.
*=*=*=*=*
Doyle famously makes Spaghetti à la Benny (often assumed in fandom to be Spaghetti Bolognese) for Ann Holly and Bodie in Involvement – your basic spaghetti with meat sauce.
The idea of spag bol comes from Bologna, Italy, of course; however, according to those crazy kids at the Accademia Italiana della Cucina in Bologna, there's an official way of making the dish. And no, no one has been making it right: at the very least, it should be tagliatelle – never spaghetti. *tsk, tsk*
Below is a close rendering of the official recipe, from the Accademia. This serves 3-4 people.
Ragu alla Bolognese
400 grams fresh tagliatelle (or fettucine, if you must)
300 grams minced beef (the recommendation is for finta cartella, thin flank steak)
150 grams unsmoked pancetta, finely chopped (though it's not a good idea to chop your finger and bleed on the pancetta like I did :-()
50 grams carrots, finely chopped
50 grams celery, finely chopped
50 grams onion, finely chopped
30 grams triple concentrated tomato puree (aka tomato paste in the U.S.; if you use double concentrated, use 40 grams)
½ glass red or white wine
180 ml fresh milk
olive oil
salt and pepper
The Accademia allows the addition of porcini mushrooms, if desired.
1. Fry the pancetta gently in a little olive oil until it starts to render its fat.
2. Add the vegetables (carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms) and saute, stirring until the onions become translucent.
3. Add the beef and cook until lightly browned (it should start making popping noises).
4. Add the tomato puree and the wine and mix well.
5. Add the milk slowly, stirring, until absorbed.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then cover, lower the light, and cook for at least 2 hours. If it starts drying out, add a little more milk.
7. Boil the tagliatelle (should take ~ 5 mins); drain and portion on plates.
8. Portion ragu on tagliatelle and serve (side suggestions: green salad and a robust red wine).
The Accademia also allows Parmesan cheese served on the side. Thus spaketh the Accademia.
A Pros Cookbook!
A final spin through the choicest food bits highlighted in The Professionals.
Last serving: Tag Bol
Bodie knew that Doyle's spag bol was serious business: a creation for special occasions, meant to impress. He'd seen it maybe twice in all the years he'd been partnered with the man, and only tasted it once while Doyle was stirring the pot.
So he knew that when Doyle planned to feed it to Ann Holly, something serious was in motion.
And it was time for him to plan his own counteroffensive.
*=*=*=*=*
Doyle famously makes Spaghetti à la Benny (often assumed in fandom to be Spaghetti Bolognese) for Ann Holly and Bodie in Involvement – your basic spaghetti with meat sauce.
The idea of spag bol comes from Bologna, Italy, of course; however, according to those crazy kids at the Accademia Italiana della Cucina in Bologna, there's an official way of making the dish. And no, no one has been making it right: at the very least, it should be tagliatelle – never spaghetti. *tsk, tsk*
Below is a close rendering of the official recipe, from the Accademia. This serves 3-4 people.
Ragu alla Bolognese
400 grams fresh tagliatelle (or fettucine, if you must)
300 grams minced beef (the recommendation is for finta cartella, thin flank steak)
150 grams unsmoked pancetta, finely chopped (though it's not a good idea to chop your finger and bleed on the pancetta like I did :-()
50 grams carrots, finely chopped
50 grams celery, finely chopped
50 grams onion, finely chopped
30 grams triple concentrated tomato puree (aka tomato paste in the U.S.; if you use double concentrated, use 40 grams)
½ glass red or white wine
180 ml fresh milk
olive oil
salt and pepper
The Accademia allows the addition of porcini mushrooms, if desired.
1. Fry the pancetta gently in a little olive oil until it starts to render its fat.
2. Add the vegetables (carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms) and saute, stirring until the onions become translucent.
3. Add the beef and cook until lightly browned (it should start making popping noises).
4. Add the tomato puree and the wine and mix well.
5. Add the milk slowly, stirring, until absorbed.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then cover, lower the light, and cook for at least 2 hours. If it starts drying out, add a little more milk.
7. Boil the tagliatelle (should take ~ 5 mins); drain and portion on plates.
8. Portion ragu on tagliatelle and serve (side suggestions: green salad and a robust red wine).
The Accademia also allows Parmesan cheese served on the side. Thus spaketh the Accademia.
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no subject
Date: 2013-12-18 02:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-18 04:37 am (UTC)"For me?" Bodie's face lit up above the plate of flat noodles. "You've outdone yourself, Raymond."
"Well, the bottomless pit will never fill, but at least it's not sausage rolls."
Bodie started to dig in, then stopped.
"What, now?" Doyle looked wary, as though he had put too much salt in the sauce.
"Told you, Stephanie's left and she's not coming back. Can't help you with her."
"Not looking for Stephanie."
"And Anna read me the riot act last week."
"Not looking for her either."
"Then why are you making your signature dish? Who else is left?"
Doyle looked at his partner, the wish unspoken but written across his face.
He had his answer in the lifted eyebrow and the brilliant smirk that lifted the mouth.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-18 11:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-18 02:36 pm (UTC)Yay! Win!
no subject
Date: 2013-12-19 03:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-18 03:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-18 04:40 am (UTC)It's given me some ideas, too, so a couple more may appear at some point down the road.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-18 11:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-20 04:02 am (UTC)I should really dig up the link and add it above...
no subject
Date: 2013-12-18 11:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-20 04:03 am (UTC)I can see the arguments for using fresh broad pasta for it, but then I could see using shapes for it.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-18 02:42 pm (UTC)And there was me thinking it was just some old meat sauce and spaghetti *g*
Thank you for this and all the other recipes, and the education too - such a brilliant idea.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-20 04:07 am (UTC)I know - right? :D
It was fun doing this. I really wanted to try a Swiss roll (I did a green tea jelly roll with red bean paste once, and it was REALLY GOOD), so I may add to this at some point.