some would call this Bolognese some wouldn't, some would call this a ragu, some wouldn't. in the world of food there are many rules for naming you only have to look at the DOC list to get an idea how seriously some take this.... in this house we don't care as long as it is tasty. Tonight we cooked a beef sauce for spaghetti, the recipe is one that has grown ingredients and lost ingredients over the course of time but this version is always tasty and certainly went down well tonight...
Ingredients:
beef mince 1 regular size packet
2 escallion (banana) shallots
2 cloves of garlic
1 spear of celery
200g chestnut mushrooms (sliced and then halved)
3-4 anchovies
3-6 chilli flakes (no more or else you will ruin the flavour)
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 small bunch fresh basil
oregano
salt and pepper
Spaghetti - enough for 2
The method:
Firstly prepare your ingredients. crush the garlic, finely chop the shallots, finely chop the anchovies and slice the celery thinly.
heat some olive oil in a frying pan until hot but not smoking add to this in the anchovies,garlic,celery and shallots. fry for a minute until the shallots are starting to soften and the anchovies are starting to dissolve. Add the mushrooms, season and then fry until the mushrooms are starting to pick up colour at this point add the chopped tomatoes then half fill the can with water and then add this water. add oregano and the chill flakes then reduce the temperature and allow to simmer (don't be tempted to keep stirring just leave it be).
Once the tomatoes are in bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti. About 2 minutes before the spaghetti is ready add the basil to the sauce (just tear this up and stir in) season again if necessary.
Drain the pasta then add the sauce and serve. simple.
It isn't pretty, it isn't difficult but it will knock seven shades out of anything you will get in a restaurant (unless you pay through the nose of course).
Bon appetit
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