Serves 4
Generous knob of butter
100g smoked streaky bacon, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
250g coarsely minced beef, at room temperature
40g chicken liver, finely chopped
150ml whole milk
Nutmeg, to grate
150ml dry white wine
400ml tin plum tomatoes
1. Melt the butter in a large flameproof casserole set over a gentle heat, and then add the bacon. Once the bacon fat has started to melt, add the onion, and cook gently until softened, then tip in the carrot, and cook for 5 minutes before adding the celery and cooking for a further 2 minutes.
2. Crumble the beef into the pan and brown, stirring occasionally to break up any lumps. Season, then stir in the liver, and let it cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 125C. Pour in the milk, and grate a little nutmeg over the top. Simmer gently until almost all the milk has evaporated, which should take about half an hour.
4. Pour in the wine and the tomatoes and stir well. Put the casserole into the oven, with the lid slightly ajar, and cook for at least 3 hours (4 is even better) until the meat is very tender. Check on it occasionally, and top up with a little water if it seems too dry, although this probably won't be necessary. Serve with pasta or gnocchi, and grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese.
Traditional Italian Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 lb beef steak mince
Half pint of beef stock
Passata Sauce
1 tin cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon red wine
1 teaspoon chopped basil
1 teaspoon oregano
freshly ground black pepper
Spaghetti approx 3oz per person
Parmesan Cheese shavings
Heat 2 spoons of oil in a large pan and fry the onion and garlic. Mix in the beef mince and cook until browned.
Stir in the tomatoes and stock. Pour the passata into the empty tomatos can about half way, as it is very concentrated, add to the pan. Rinse the can with a little water and add also.
Place the red wine, basil, oregano and black pepper into the pan and heat until it starts to bubble.
Reduce the heat and simmer gently for around 20 minutes.
Whilst this is simmering cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water for approximately 10 minutes. Taste a little to make sure it is cooked, but not too soft.
Check the sauce is not too dry and add a little of the water from the pasta . Drain the pasta.
Just before serving, add the drained pasta to the sauce and mix carefully.
Serve and add the parmesan shavings.
from here
