Traditional Bolognese Sauce with Ground Beef and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium red/brown onion
- 2 rashers smokey bacon/50g pancetta (optional)
- 500g minced beef
- 4 plump cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot grated
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp oregano (dried is fine)
- 500ml passata
- 4 tbsp tomato purée
- 380ml beef stock
- 100ml red wine (optional)
- 100ml milk
- Handful cherry toms
- 200g sliced mushrooms (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Handful freshly chopped basil to finish
Preparation
Use a large, heavy bottomed pot. Add the olive oil to the pan and bring up to a high heat. Add the onion and bacon and fry off until the onion starts to become translucent. Add the beef, breaking it up with your spoon. Brown it off on high for around five minutes, stirring regularly. Then add the carrot and garlic and fry off for a couple more minutes.
Now, add the passata, tomato purée, herbs, bay leaf, wine, stock and milk. It will be quite liquidy but that’s intentional for a long, low and slow cook.
Cover loosely and simmer on low for approx 90mins, stirring occasionally. If you are adding the mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, add them about half way through the cooking time.
Season with salt and black pepper and finish with some freshly chopped basil.
