Pasta, Noodles and Rice Recipes - Spaghetti alia Bolognese Recipe

Ingredients

Serve 4

• 500 g/1 lb spaghetti

• pepper

• 50 g/2 oz Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, to serve 

Meat sauce:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 4 streaky bacon rashers, rinded and chopped

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 celery stick, diced

• 500 g/1 lb minced lean beef

• 150 ml/1/4 pint red wine

• 125 ml/4 fl oz milk

• grated nutmeg

• 400 g/13 oz can chopped tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon chopped oregano

• salt and pepper

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Method:

1. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan or deep frying pan, add the onion, garlic, bacon, carrot and celery and sauté until soft and golden.

2. Add the beef and cook until browned, stirring occasionally. Add the red wine and bring to the boil.

3. Reduce the heat slightly and cook over a medium heat until most of the wine has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Add the milk and a little nutmeg, and stir well.

4. Continue cooking until the milk has been absorbed by the meat mixture. Add the tomatoes, sugar and oregano.

5. Reduce the heat to a bare simmer and cook uncovered for 2-2 1/2 hours, until the sauce is reduced and richly colored.

6. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well and season with freshly ground black pepper. Pour over the meat sauce and serve the Parmesan separately.