If you love this Italian classic, then you’ll love making this from scratch and showing off your culinary skills. Plus, it lends itself perfectly for your food pot. So, whether it’s lunch for work or dinner on a night shift or maybe even for the kids packed lunch, this spaghetti Bolognese will leave you feeling satisfied and raring to go.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
250g of beef mince
2 rashers of pancetta or streaky bacon
1 medium onion
1 clove of garlic
1 carrot
1 celery stick
1-2 sprigs of rosemary
200g of spaghetti
For the sauce:
1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
3 cherry tomatoes halved
A handful of fresh basil leaves
½ tsp dried oregano
1 beef stock cube
1 tbsp tomato puree
65 ml red wine
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 1.5 hours
Method
1. First, finely chop the bacon, onion, celery, and garlic. Remove the leaves from the sprig of rosemary, discard of the stem and finely chop the leaves.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the bacon. Fry the bacon until crispy and golden, usually around 10 minutes.
3. Turn the heat down and add the onion, carrot, celery, and the rosemary leaves. Fry until the veg becomes soft.
4. Once soft, increase the heat to medium-high and add the beef mince to the pan. Frequently stir the mix until all the mince has browned off.
5. Next, finely chop the basil leaves and add them to the pan alongside the tinned tomatoes, oregano, tomato puree, stock cube, wine, and the halved cherry tomatoes. Give the mix a good stir.
6. Bring the Bolognese mix to the boil and once boiling reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan with a lid and allow to cook 45 minutes to an hour or until you have a thick and rich sauce. Be sure to give the mix a stir and season if required.
7. When the Bolognese is nearly cooked, cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the packet.
8. Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain off and add to your food pot and top with the Bolognese sauce. Alternatively, you can mix the spaghetti in with the Bolognese sauce. Top with a sprinkling of cheese for added flavour, choose cheddar or for that authentic Italian taste Parmigiano Reggiano.
