Spaghetti Bolognese

Approx cost: €4.00.
Approx calories (per regular serving): ~450.
Approx preparation time: 40 minutes.

I remember having a conversation with an Italian colleague at work who expressed horror and revulsion at the very idea of putting mushrooms and carrots inside a bolognese, but as I researched the history of “bolognese” today, trying to find something I could write in the header here, I found that the original recipe actually called for carrots, and mushrooms are a really common ingredient in recipes around the web today, so I’ll say this: it might not be strictly traditional, but it’s rich and delicious, and in case you think it sounds weird, please: give it a try first before you form any opinions. Maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised 😉

Ingredients

To serve 3-4 people

• 175g minced beef
• 2-3 rashers smoked bacon
• 6-7 small mushrooms
• 1 good sized onion
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 4-5 fresh tomatoes
• 1 glass red wine
• Spaghetti for 3 people (a good handful, assuming you have big hands)
• 1 carrot
• 2 cloves garlic
• 5 tbsps Olive oil
• 1 tsp Oregano
• Salt and Pepper
• Parmesan

Instructions

1. Starting by chopping the onion and garlic finely. Heat the olive oil in a pan on a hot stove and fry the onion and garlic together for about a minute, or until it starts to turn a golden, translucent colour. Cut the bacon finely and add to the pan with the minced beef. Lower the heat a little and continue to fry, stirring occasionally. Juices will start to come out of the meat and aid the cooking, making it much harder to burn it, but keep an eye on it all the same. If it looks like it’s burning or sticking to the pan remove it from the heat.
   
2. While the meat is cooking, chop the tomato and mushroom finely (you don’t need to worry so much about the mushroom – it will shrink down while cooking!). Slice the carrot finely and add it all into the pan with the cooked meat.
   
3. Open up the can of tomatoes and add into the pan. Pour the glass of wine into the can and slosh around a bit to get any leftover tomato pieces and then pour into the pan with the rest of the ingredients. Add the oregano, some salt and pepper, and, if you like a slightly sweeter sauce, a squirt of ketchup if you wish.
   
4. You’ll see it has a fair amount of liquid. Cook on a medium-high heat until the sauce has reduced a little and thickened up and the mushrooms have taken on the colour of sauce.
   
5. Turn the heat right down and boil a pan of water. When the water has come to the boil cook the pasta for a few minutes until cooked to your liking. Serve up and sprinkle with parmesan and enjoy!