Spaghetti Bolognaise

Spaghetti Bolognaise topped with Parmesan

Although this spaghetti bolognaise recipe (aka spaghetti bolognese) has a few more ingredients than many of our recipes, you will find several of them already in your cupboard. Some may also be available from your garden, including tomatoes, basil, oregano, onions and garlic.

INGREDIENTS

The ingredients below will make enough for a spaghetti bolognaise for four people. When choosing the minced beef, go for the best. A low fat one from the supermarket is very good, but even better buy it from your local butcher if you have one left in your town. 

Ingredients for Spaghetti Bolognaise

500g / 3/4 lb Minced beef

1 400g can peeled and chopped plum tomatoes

1 tablespoon of tomato concentrate

1 large onion

4 mushrooms (optional) chopped up small

1 beef stock cube (e.g. OXO)

1/4 teaspoon of grated garlic or 1 fresh garlic clove chopped up small

1 teaspoon dried basil or 5 fresh chopped basil leaves

1 teaspoon dried oregano or 5 fresh chopped oregano leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

400g / 14oz Spaghetti

Salt and pepper to taste

 
PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes
 
COOKING TIME: 30 minutes
 
DIFFICULTY: Medium
 
FREEZE: Yes (beef sauce)
 
SERVINGS: 4 servings
 
EQUIPMENT: 1 Medium-sized frying pan, 1 Medium-sized pan, Knife, Scales

PREPARATION

Peel and finely chop the onion

Peel top skin from mushrooms and roughly cop

ADVICE FOR SPAGHETTI BPLOGNAISE

In Italy, spaghetti is often eaten with a tomato sauce, but not so often with minced beef included. So this recipe has lots of tomatoes for an authentic taste but with minced beef as well. 

The bolognaise sauce freezes well, in fact it probably tastes better when frozen for a bit - all the flavours mingle together better. So why not make a double portion and freeze what's left over.

In step 3 we say to simmer the sauce mix for 30 minutes. We often start simmering the sauce two or three hours before it is needed which results in very tender minced beef. Be careful though to keep a watch on it and add water when it starts to dry out.

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1

Put the chopped onions into a frying pan, add two tablespoons of olive oil and turn up to a medium heat. 

Put the minced beef into a large pan (large enough to take all of the ingredients) and turn up to a medium heat.

Cook them for about 12 minutes

Frying onions

STEP 2

The onions are ready when they have turned slightly brown (see picture above). Turn the onions every minute or so to make sure they are evenly browned

The minced beef is ready when it has all turned a greyish colour. Stir the minced beef every 30 seconds or so to make sure it is all cooked. When it is cooked, pour off any fat which is in the bottom of the pan.

STEP 3

Crumble the beef cube onto the minced beef. Add the onions, tomatoes, oregano, basil, garlic, chopped mushrooms and tomato concentrate to the minced beef. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mix all the ingredients well and simmer (barely bubbling) the glorious mixture for 30 minutes. Stir every five minutes or so to make sure it is all cooked evenly. Add a little hot water (or red wine if you have any) if the mixture starts to become dry.

Following the instructions on the spaghetti pack, start cooking it so that it is finished cooking at roughly the same time as the bolognaise sauce.

Cooking Bolognaise Sauce

STEP 4

Just before serving, taste the bolognaise sauce and add salt, herbs or more tomato concentrate to get it tasting just right.

Place the spaghetti on the plate, drizzle a teaspoon or two of olive oil over it and add the bolognaise sauce.

Sprinkle with grated Parmesan Cheese and decorate with a sprig or two of parsley if any is available.

Spaghetti Bolognaise

STEP 5

Bolognaise sauce is a really good for freezing - it seems to encourage the flavours to mingle and mix.

So why not make a double sized portion and put the remainder in the freezer. It will keep for a month and you will always have a delicious meal that will only take the preparation time to cook the spaghetti and warm up the sauce.