Countless households have their own version of this perennial family favorite. A rather pedestrian suggestion I know, since the recent revelations made in the grand finale of Master Chef showing what home cooks are really capable of.
Still, for those of us trying to maintain a bar – level of some description, pass this onto your ten year old and ask them to fix it for dinner for you. Sit back and enjoy the results.Ingredients (Serves 5)- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 750g combined beef, pork and veal mince (ordered from your butcher)
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 400 – 800g tinned, chopped tomatoes (according to taste)
- ½ cup water
- Salt and Pepper to season
Equipment
- Chopping board and cooks knife
- Pan or pot with fitted lid, able to contain all the ingredients comfortably
- Wooden spoon
Method
- Place the oil in the pan over gentle heat and add the onion
- Cook the onion gently for the next 5 – 10 minutes, pushing it around the pan with the wooden spoon. (Properly cooked onions are the secret to the success of countless sauces, stews and curries. Be patient and cook the onions until they are softened and translucent in color.)
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute to release the flavors
- Turn the heat up and add the meat, stir it constantly with the wooden spoon, breaking it up finely.
- Once the meat is browned, stir in the tomato paste until it is well combined with the meat
- Add the tomatoes. Additional tomatoes extend the sauce without compromising the flavor.
- Rinse the tins with about ½ cup water and add this to the pan
- Gently bring the sauce to bubbling stage. Lower the heat and allow the sauce to simmer. (The sauce should be barely trembling. Boiling the sauce will produce an entirely different and inferior result).
- Add about 1 desert spoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper
- Place the lid on the pan and continue simmering for another hour.
- Check the seasoning for salt and pepper
- If the sauce is too watery for your taste, remove the lid and allow it to continue simmering for about another 10 mins until it has reduced to your preferred consistency. Alternatively, too thick a sauce can be diluted with water, add ½ cup. Too little sauce can be further extended with another tin or two of tomatoes.
- Either proceed and cook the pasta or set the sauce aside to cool and then refrigerate in a covered container. This sauce will continue to improve over the next 2 or 3 days. Freeze any leftover sauce in an airtight container, label with the date.
TO SERVE
Ingredients:
- 1 x 500g packet imported (durham wheat) pasta
- 2 tablespoons salt
- Garnish: 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Equipment:
- 4 – 6 litre pot
- Long handled tongs
- Large colander
- Large shallow serving bowl or individual bowls, ideally warmed
Method:
- Reheat the sauce if necessary
- Add salt to 4 – 6 litres of rapidly boiling water
- Add the pasta – tease it with the tongs to separate it in the water
- Cook the pasta in accordance with directions on the packet (usually 8 – 11 minutes)
- Remove a cup of water from the pot
- Drain the pasta into a colander
- Return the pasta to the pot, add the cup of cooking water, this lubricates the pasta
- Place the pasta in the bowl, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
- Top the pasta with the Bolognese sauce
- Garnish with chopped parsley
- Drizzle with olive oil
Serve additional Parmesan cheese on the table with salt, pepper and olive oil. A crisp green salad, some excellent rustic bread such as a sourdough, and an Italian red wine such as a Chianti or Valpolicella make this an agreeable family meal or an easy dinner to enjoy with friends.
© Sunday Relish 2009
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