Traditional Bolognese

INGREDIENTS:

80g butter

200g speck trimmed and cut into ½cm cubes

5 anchovy fillets chopped finely

4 spring onions chopped finely

1 large carrots diced finely

2 sticks celery trimmed and diced finely

500g home minced beef or 5 star beef mince

1 cup beef stock + extra

400g can diced tomatoes

1 cup pasata

2 tsp dried thyme

200ml red wine

good dash of worcestershire sauce

 

Heat half the butter in a large non-stick sauce pan (that has a lid) and add the spec; cook for a very short time until just rendered. Add the onion, carrot and celery, and cook for 10 minutes or until softened. Then add the anchovies, and stir through.

Increase the heat and add the remaining butter and the mince, Break up the mince as it cooks through to eliminate any large lumps forming.

Add beef stock, tomatoes, pasata, wine, thyme and Worcestershire sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.

Put the lid on and bring to the boil. And then lower the heat to a very gentle simmer. Cook for at least four hours with an occasional stir. Increase the heat and remove the lid for the last half an hour of cooking to reduce the liquids down to the correct consistency.

Serve over al dente No1 Spaghetti (thinnest), and sprinkle with fresh parmesan.

 

Will do four people.

 

“THE SLOWER AND LONGER YOU COOK IT, THE MORE THE FLAVOUR DEVELOPS”

THE LONGER THIS SAUCE IS LEFT TO GENTLY SIMMER, THE MORE THE FLAVOUR IT WILL HAVE. ALSO GOOD TO COOK THE PREVIOUS DAY IF POSSIBLE AND REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT.

WHILE THE ANCHOVIES ARE (SLIGHTLY) OPTIONAL, THEY ADD A GREAT SALTINESS TO THE SAUCE WITHOUT OVERPOWERING IT. YOU SHOULD TRY THEM!

More complex than an average Bolognese - but still a one pot dish.