Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese

Serves 4

Ingredients

500 gms Spaghetti

600 gms Beef mince

2 tins of chopped or plum tomatoes (I prefer Pomi Strained Crushed tomatoes)

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 medium red onions chopped finely

2 tbsp crushed garlic, using a garlic crusher

1 tsp dried Oregano

2 beef Oxo Beef cubes

1 glass of red wine (optional)

½ tsp paprika

1-2 bay leaves

salt to taste

½ cup chopped parsley or basil for garnishing

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until golden brown. Add bay leaves and stir. Add the minced beef and fry it until it has browned, breaking down any chunks of meat with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle the oxo cubes over the mince and stir so the colour and flavour spreads throughout the mince. Reduce the temperature and stir in the tomato paste. Add the tin of tomatoes (if you are using plum tomatoes then squish them when soft). Add the glass of red wine and season well with salt and pepper and add the Oregano. Cover with a lid and simmer the Bolognese sauce over a gentle heat for 1-1½ hours until the flavors develop into a wonderfully rich tomato sauce, stirring occasionally. At the end of the cooking time, add any extra seasoning if necessary. After tasting your sauce, you may wish to add a little sugar to reduce any acidity from the tomatoes. Turn off the heat. In the meantime, cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling water with some salt until al dente. Drain and toss the spaghetti with some olive oil and chopped parsley. To serve spread some spaghetti on to a plate with a tong, turning the spaghetti slightly. Pour some of the Bolognese sauce over it and garnish with chopped parsley or basil.