Rich Bolognese Sauce

Rich Bolognese Sauce

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 200g bacon rashers, fat removed and cut into pieces

• 2 celery sticks, finely sliced ( optional )

• 2 large carrots, finely sliced ( optional )

• 1 big onion, finely dices

• 200g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

• 500g lean beef mince

• 1 beef stock pot

• 2 tbsp dried oregano

• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced

• black pepper ( loads! )

• 2 handfuls fresh basil, roughly chopped

• 1 bottle red wine ( the better the quality, the nicer the bolognese ) *

• 1 carton garlic and herb tomato passata

• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup

• 2 tbsp tomato puree

• 2 tbsp brown sugar

• 1 1/2 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar

Method

- Preheat the fan oven 160 degrees Celsius. Heat the olive oil in a casserole dish. Once hot, add the bacon. Stir well in the oil and cover. Let it fry until crispy.

- Add the beef mince to the pan with the bacon. Stir and break up the mince to evenly distribute it.

- While the mince cooks, prepare the veg.

- Once the mince is evenly browned, add the vegetables to the pan and stir to combine. Boil 250ml water and add it to a bowl, alongside the stock pot, and stir to combine.

- Add in the stock, 250 ml wine, tomato passata, ketchup, tomato puree, vinegar, brown sugar, oregano, garlic, black pepper and basil to the mince and bacon mix.

- Stir everything together. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Pop it into the oven and basically cook for hours ( at least 3 going onto 4- the longer the better really ).

- Make sure you remove the lid and stir every 30 minutes. If the bolognese sauce starts looking too dry, pour in more wine and stir.

- Serve with wholemeal pasta, fresh herbs and some parmesan. I love to have fennel seeds and hot sauce on top too. I used low-calorie pasta in the photos but I will admit, normal (or even fresh) pasta is much better!

*I know it sounds like a lot but it gets burned off as it gets cooked for so long- do it on a cold day with not much to do and just leave it in the oven while you go about your business, but don't forget to stir!