Classic spaghetti bolognese

Name: Classic spaghetti bolognese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 15 ml Olive oil; 1 Onions, finely chopped; 150 g Carrots, finely diced or grated; 0.2 Celery, 2 sticks, finely diced; 0.3 Garlic, 3 cloves, crushed; 500 g Beef mince; 30 g Tomato purée; 800 g Chopped tomatoes, 2 tins; 1 Beef stock cubes, made up with 250ml hot water; 2 g Dried oregano; 0.5 g Bay leaves, 2 leaves; 400 g Spaghetti; 40 g Parmesan, finely grated

The weeknight bowl of spaghetti everyone grows up on: a rich, slow-simmered beef and tomato sauce with plenty of hidden veg and a snowfall of cheese on top.

Ingredients

15 ml Olive oil
1 Onions, finely chopped
150 g Carrots, finely diced or grated
0.2 Celery, 2 sticks, finely diced
0.3 Garlic, 3 cloves, crushed
500 g Beef mince
30 g Tomato purée
800 g Chopped tomatoes, 2 tins
1 Beef stock cubes, made up with 250ml hot water
2 g Dried oregano
0.5 g Bay leaves, 2 leaves
400 g Spaghetti
40 g Parmesan, finely grated

Method

Heat the oil in a large deep pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt and cook gently, stirring now and then, until soft and sweet. Stir in the garlic for the last minute.
Turn the heat up, add the mince and fry, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it is browned all over with no pink left.
Stir in the tomato purée for a minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, stock, oregano and bay. Bring to a bubble, then turn down, part-cover and simmer gently, stirring now and then, until thick and glossy. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick. Fish out the bay leaves and season.
About 15 minutes before the sauce is ready, cook the spaghetti in a big pan of boiling salted water following the packet timing. Save a mugful of the cooking water, then drain.
Toss the spaghetti with a few spoonfuls of sauce and a splash of the pasta water so it coats every strand, then pile into bowls with more sauce on top and the Parmesan on the table.