Fresh Spaghetti Bolognese Sauce Recipe

 

 

“What I loved most about it was that it tasted so fresh.” (Spaghetti Blogenese review of my recipe)

Last weekend I had the honor of cooking my Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe for Sarah from Spaghetti Blogenese. Sarah is on a mission to find the best Spaghetti Bolognese in a Melbourne restaurant over 52 weeks.  In addition to testing restaurant made Spaghetti Bolognese, she will be calling for entries to determine Melbourne’s best home made Spaghetti Bolognese soon. 

I have grown up a fan of spaghetti, my mum makes a great version. She originally taught me how to make it and it has changed and become my own version over the years.  My children now love it, it is the most requested meal at our house. 

I was nervous volunteering to submit my spaghetti for tasting by Sarah.  After I volunteered I read her criteria for spaghetti – Oh dear, then I was terrified!! 

You can read everything that Sarah had to say about my recipe last week here. 

One of her comments was: 

“First taste impressions – Pow! Flavorsome, and in the best possible way” (Spaghetti Blogenese review)

 

• Serves: 6 adults
• Preparation Time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Meat

• 5 fresh garlic cloves finely chopped
• dash of olive oil
• 500 grams of lean beef mince
• 200 grams of lean lamb mince
• salt and pepper to season

Sauce

• 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 2 x 400 gram tins of chopped tomatoes (unseasoned, no additives)
• 1 carrot
• 1 small fresh eggplant
• 1 tiny fresh capsicum
• 3 teaspoons of sun dried tomato paste
• a large bunch of Fresh herbs – basil, oregano, parsley, thyme
• salt and pepper
• freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
• crusty fresh bread to serve

Steps:

Cook the meat

1. Put the garlic cloves, and olive oil into a pan and cook until they are soft
2. Stir in the meat until it has browned
3. Add salt and pepper to season, stir and remove from the heat and set aside

Cook the Sauce

1. Add 3 finely chopped garlic cloves to a pan and heat until fragrant. 
2. Add the tinned tomatoes and then the tomato paste and fresh herbs and salt and pepper to season lightly.
3. Simmer for 10 minutes
4. Add the vegetables and simmer for a further 5 minutes
5. Add the meat that had been set aside to the sauce, stir and simmer for a further 25 minutes
6. If your children are adverse to seeing vegetables in food you can give the sauce a quick whiz with a stick blender
7. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread

 

Hints and Tips:

• The Bolognese can be frozen
• Use as good quality Parmesan cheese as possible
• You can use just lean beef mince if you do not have, or wish to use, lamb mince
• This recipe is for a thick sauce. If you prefer a thinner sauce, add another tin of 400 gms of tomatoes and simmer for an additional 10 minutes

To read more about Sarah’s spaghetti tasting adventures and to find out which Melbourne restaurant she judges as having THE best Spaghetti Bolognese in Melbourne visit her blog here.