500g / 1lb 2oz of minced beef (see Cook's Notes above) |
2 large onions |
4 garlic cloves |
2 tablespoons of olive oil |
6 rashers of streaky bacon or some diced bacon pieces |
1 level teaspoon of dried rosemary |
Large can of chopped tomatoes |
35ml of red wine |
Salt and pepper to taste (ΒΌ teaspoon of each) |
Peel and finely chop the onion.
Peel and finely chop or crush the garlic cloves.
Cut the bacon into small bits
We cooked this ragu using minced beef as a base and we suspect that minced pork may be even better. Either way this is a deliciously simple meal to make in less than an hour. When you add the minced meat to the ragu, spend some time breaking up the strands of meat to avoid it clumping together.
If you want to cut down on the cost of this meal, and make it a little healthier, then use less minced meat but include some well chopped celery and carrots. Another option to cut down on saturated fat is to use back bacon instead of streaky bacon or lardons. One of the great things about this recipe is that it can be easily varied to your taste.
Recipe by David Marks.
Pour the olive oil into your frying pan on a medium heat and add the chopped onions.
Fry them for about 12 minutes until the onions are softened. Stir them in the frying pan several times to ensure they are evenly cooked.
Add the minced meat to the pan and fry for eight minutes or so (stirring frequently) until it has browned.
Add the wine, tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper and stir them together well.
Turn the heat to low and simmer (just lightly bubbling) the ragu for 30 minutes. Stir it every five minutes or so to stop it sticking to the pan. Taste just before serving and add more salt and pepper if you want.
Serve with any kind of pasta, I like fresh linguine. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve with crusty bread.