Spaghetti Bolognese
A comfort food classic that you're going to want to make weekly.
30 Jan 2016 2 hours 6
[ess_post]
Bolognese is one of those dishes that takes us back to our childhood, makes us feel at home, it’s comfort food at its simplest. It’s hard to reinvent a classic, so this version is just full of all the goodness you’d expect at all the right levels making sure it’s fail safe and hits the spot every time.
Ingredients
olive oil
500 grams beef mince
250 grams streaky bacon, finely sliced
1 onion, finely diced
1 large leek, quartered and sliced finely
4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
2 large carrots, diced, or grated
4 celery stalks, finely sliced
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1½ cups red wine (or beef stock)
700ml tomato passata
3 bay leaves
Recipe
Bolognese: Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy-bottom pot over medium heat. Add the mince and cook until browned. Remove and set aside. Put the sliced bacon in the same pot and sauté for 5-6 minutes until crispy. Add the onion, leek, garlic, carrots and celery and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened. Once tender return the mince to the pot, add the balsamic vinegar and tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the wine, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes. (This lets the alcohol burn off while allowing the wine to add big flavours to the dish.)
Add the tomato passata and the bay leaves. Season to taste and bring to the boil, then cover and place in the oven for 1½ hours. Remove and serve with al dente spaghetti and handfuls of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, the king of cheeses.
