Method

Bolognese Sauce

Melt the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and bay leaves and sauté gently for 5 min, or until the vegetables start to soften. Add the minced meats and fry until evenly browned. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to break up any lumps. Add the wine and passata and stir well. Season to taste and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 2 ½ hours, stirring from time to time. Stir in the basil just before serving the sauce with your choice of pasta or gnocchi and plenty of freshly grated Parmesan.

Béchamel Sauce

Lightly fry onion and garlic, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 – 2 min or until bubbling. Remove from heat. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth. Return to heat. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 10 – 12 min or until sauce comes to the boil, thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in parmesan and salt.