Glad we could help you with this mammoth and highly complex decision.
Umm... just don't put in the red wine?
1. An authentic Bolognese sauce is made with white wine, not red.
2. As others have suggested, stock and vinegar would make a good substitute.
That does raise another question, though. Most vinegar is produced as a by product of alcohol production processes. Is it therefore equally disallowed by strict Muslims?
If she's so fussy about the red wine is she equally concerned that the meat is halal? Or have you got that base covered already?
Simple answer to this would be make two batches, one large one with red wine for the rest of your guests and one without for her. Problem solved. Don't see why the rest of your guests should forsake the red wine due to the religious requirements of one.
Actually there is of course no such thing as an authentic Bolognese sauce.
I am disappointed so many people suggest to OP that he should lie to his friend and put in wine anyway. If you would do this yourself, sorry but you must not be a very good friend. I would say however, don't invite her over for fondue because I really don't know how you'd work that one out without alcohol!
This is a nice suggestion!
I didn't even know bolognese sauce had to contain red wine. The family recipe taste fine without it anyways.
The Ragu they cook in Bologna is built on a soffrito of onion, celery and carrot, red wine and a bit of tomato puree. Plus (from memory) garlic herbs and salt. Red wine is essential.
AFAIK, there is alcohol-free wine that is also exported to countries like Saudi-Arabia.
You could try cooking with such a wine. Maybe experiment with grape-juice and (little) vinegar.
Cooking is a little bit of a religion to me and I have problems with having it "regulated" by a "real" religion.
That said, the question about vinegar being made out of alcohol and whether muslims would be allowed to consume it made me curious.
It seems that the consensus is that this is not a problem. Cooking with red wine is a problem though, apparently.
But the alcohol is not a problem if it's part of a medicine or in a perfume...
As I said, these provisions get ridiculous quite quickly and often lead to a certain "infantilization" of the population (the above mentioned bottles of non-alcoholic wine are then often used to transport "real" wine)....
Another vote for 'just leave out the wine'. And make sure that your minced beef doesn't contain any pork. Easier said than done...
I'm half italian, and our family pretty much only eat italian food made from scratch (even the pasta when i have time) - i never put red wine into my bolognese sauce - my problem would be omitting pork form the sauce... that really changes the flavour! But you've got to do what you've got to do! I find that enough salt, a tablespoon of sugar and herbs (bay leaf etc) are the essentials to a great ragu bolognese...
Thanks for all the tips . And no i would ofcourse not lie to her ever. Plus making 2 batches is too much work so it is easy to adjust to one persons taste, and btw it is not that the others would have to suffer, we would be respectful to her requirements and make sure that she has a good time too. The meat is not halal but that some muslims do accept about life in the west and well as they say just bless the food and eat it. I asked her she said it was ok as long as there was no pork, which I do not eat either. Drinking wine, if for her is a big case, I will respect it. Everyone should have a good time. . Going to make it without the red wine and maybe add some beef or vege stock.
Hmmm on second thought, two batches could work as an experiment and I could see which tastes better. Hmmmm.
Maybe, but the traditional ones made in Bologna would be well placed to make such a claim.
Do give it a try with and tell me if you taste the difference
Loz1983 has an excellent point here...... not much point in whipping up a batch of wine free bolognese if she won't eat it anyway.
I've always had bolognese without wine...... only because I'd rather drink it with the meal than put it in the sauce.
My recipe isn't authentic, but then again you are looking for something without wine anyway.
I'm happy to post or PM you the recipe if you want.
Perhaps have the wine as a side dish?
I would brown the meat with a bit of tomatoe concentrate which ads a bit of acid. If necessary you can add vinegar (white balsamico).
Two batches are not a problem. Before you ad red wine, put some of the sauce in a little pan and let it simmer on low heat.
Yes! More wine for the other guests to drink!
What`s she going to drink?
About the sauce. I make the "best" bolognaise sauce, according to my kids, and the only times I`ve ever put wine in is when there`s an open bottle of plonk, and there`s some left over while I`m busy cooking (drinking it).
What the others have said ........ just leave it out. The soya sauce sounds a good idea, the worcestershire sauce, oh and also ...... don`t forget the Marjoram.
I throw in all the other herbs too ...... Origanum/Basil/Bay leaf/fresh ground pepper .... and cook it for hours. Minced meat is made from all the cheap scraps, so it needs long cooking to make it tender and juicy.
Do come back and tell how the dinner party went?
Sure, thank you very much.
She will have a great selection of other drinks, such as juices, water, syrup, cola..lot of other things to drink apart from alcohol. And for sure will post an update on the events outcome.