Weeknight Spaghetti Bolognese

Name: Weeknight Spaghetti Bolognese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 1 carrot, finely chopped; 1 celery stalk, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 lb ground beef (85% lean); 1/2 lb ground pork; 1 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1/2 cup dry red or white wine (optional); 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes; 1/2 cup whole milk; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 bay leaf; 1 lb spaghetti; grated Parmesan, to serve

A thick, meaty sauce of ground beef and pork simmered with onion, carrot, celery, tomatoes and a splash of milk, tossed with spaghetti and finished with Parmesan. Freezes well, so make a double batch.

Prep15 min

Cook50 min

Total1 hr 5 min

Serves6

What you'll need

Enameled cast-iron Dutch ovenFor soups, stews and braises

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8-inch chef's knifeFor all the chopping

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Silicone spatula setFor stirring and flipping

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Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb ground beef (85% lean)

1/2 lb ground pork

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup dry red or white wine (optional)

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup whole milk

1 tsp dried oregano

1 bay leaf

1 lb spaghetti

grated Parmesan, to serve

Steps

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrot and celery until soft, 8 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 minute.

Raise the heat to medium-high, add the beef and pork with the salt and pepper, and cook, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains, 8 minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then the wine, and let it bubble away.

Add the tomatoes, milk, oregano and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then cook gently, partly covered, 35 to 40 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick.

Meanwhile cook the spaghetti in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Save 1/2 cup pasta water and drain.

Remove the bay leaf, toss the spaghetti with about two-thirds of the sauce and a splash of pasta water, then serve topped with the rest of the sauce and plenty of Parmesan.

TipThe milk sounds odd but it softens the acidity of the tomatoes and makes the meat extra tender; don't skip it.