The Kitchen Garden Project
By Jamie Oliver
Family spaghetti Bolognese
Topped with a fine grating of Parmesan
2 hrs
Not Too Tricky
serves 6
About the recipe
This is a great version of the classic Italian Bolognese – reliable, tasty and easy to put together. Brilliant for kids!
Recipe From
Ingredients
3 red onions
2 cloves of garlic
3 carrots
3 sticks of celery
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon or pancetta
olive oil
500g lean beef mince
1 x 400g tin of quality chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 tablespoon balsamic or red wine vinegar
3 fresh bay leaves
1 organic low-salt beef stock cube
500g dried spaghetti
optional: 40g Parmesan cheese
Top Tip
This delicious Bolognese recipe makes double the amount of sauce you need, so freeze half for another day.
Method
- On a chopping board, peel and finely chop the onions, garlic and carrots, then trim and finely chop the celery.
- Pick and finely chop the rosemary leaves, then finely slice the bacon or pancetta.
- Put a large saucepan on a medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Add the bacon, rosemary, garlic and veg, then cook with the lid ajar for 10 to 15 minutes, or until softened and just turning golden, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the mince, turn the heat up to high and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until browned all over,stirring and breaking it up with a spoon as you go.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, vinegar and bay leaves.
- Fill and boil the kettle.
- Crumble in the stock cube and pour in 400ml boiling water.
- Stir well, turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil.
- Season with pepper, reduce to a low heat, then cover and simmer for around 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lid and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened and reduced. Meanwhile...
- Re-fill and boil the kettle.
- Carefully fill a large pot three quarters of the way up with boiling water, add a tiny pinch of salt and bring back to the boil.
- Add the spaghetti and cook according to packet instructions – you want to cook your pasta until it is al dente. This translates as ‘to the tooth’ and means that it should be soft enough to eat, but still have a bit of a bite and firmness to it. Use the timings on the packet instructions as a guide, but try some just before the time is up to make sure it’s perfectly cooked.
- Using a microplane, finely grate the Parmesan cheese onto a clean chopping board (if using).
- Once the spaghetti is done, ladle out and reserve a cup of cooking water and keep it to one side, then drain in a colander over the sink.
- Taste the Bolognese sauce and season with a little more pepper or vinegar, if you think it needs it.
- Carefully pick out and discard the bay leaves.
- Put half the sauce into a container, leave to cool, then freeze for another day.
- Stir the spaghetti into the remaining sauce, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen, if needed.
- Divide between bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (if using), then serve.
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