Mmmmm, this is a favourite in our household. We usually have it when we’re feeling too lazy to make anything else.
It’s so simple to make with minimal preparation time (about 10-15 minutes), then leave it to gently simmer until thick and rich (at least an hour).
Bolognese sauce
1 tbs olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 medium Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
500g lean beef mince
400g tinned tomatoes
2 tbs tomato paste
½ cup red wine
½ cup beef stock
2 tsp dried mixed herbs
¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tbs fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 tbs parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil then add the onions and garlic. Fry on low until onion softens, add the mushrooms. Continue to fry until mushrooms are soft, then add the beef mince. Brown the mince, breaking up large pieces as it cooks through.
Once the mince is cooked through, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, wine and herbs (fresh and dried). Stir through and bring to a rapid simmer, then turn the heat down to a slow simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve on al dente spaghetti (or your choice of pasta) and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Belissimo!
Leftovers
The Bolognese sauce freezes well. If you’re making it in advance to freeze, leave a bit of extra liquid so you can reheat it in a saucepan. We do this when we’re planning to go camping.
Jim really loves to have the leftovers for breakfast the next morning. He does this by reheating in a small frypan. When heated he pushes the meat sauce to the edges and breaks an egg to fry in the middle, then serves it on toast.