Alex’s Low-Fuss Bolognaise

Published May 16, 2018

As discussed on episode 36 (starting 30:23).

There is a lot of cooking time but not much prep time. You just have to make sure you are around to stir it.

You will Need:

  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 brown onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled, grated
  • 2 zucchinis, peeled, grated
  • 500g mince meat, beef or pork or a mix is fine
  • 4 cloves of garlic - crushed (or alternatively, garlic paste works perfectly well)
  • 1/2 jar of pre-made pasta sauce
  • 1 and 1/2 cups of red wine (cheap is great)
  • 500g of thin spaghetti (or pasta of your choice)
  • Parmesan cheese, shaved, to serve

Process:

  1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mince and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until brown, breaking up with a wooden spoon as you go. Then set cooked mince aside.
  2. Add more oil and cook over low-to-medium heat (to ensure nothing burns) onion, garlic, carrot and zucchini, stirring, for 15-30 minutes or until all vegetables are soft and melted.
  3. Add previously set aside mince, red wine and preferred herbs and spices (1 teaspoon basil and parsley work well). Gently stir through. Turn heat down low and let simmer for an hour or so. It should start to smell delicious at this point.
  4. Add pre-made pasta sauce, this can simmer on low heat for 1-5 hours (depending on how soft you like your meat).
  5. Towards end of cooking make pasta. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water, following packet directions. Drain.
  6. Divide pasta among serving bowls. Spoon over sauce. Serve topped with cheese and fresh basil. Optionally, add chopped up bacon bits.

Enjoy