Ragù Bolognese

Yes…yes…I know this doesn’t look very appetizing! But trust me….it was really tasty and big hit during dinner! Boil some spaghetti noodles, top with sauce and cheese..and YUM!! For those who are not aware, ragù is an Italian term for a meat-based sauce traditionally served with pasta. A ragù is usually made with meat, onions, celery, carrots, seasonings etc. simmering in a tomato sauce for sometime. I got my idea and modified it based on one of the episodes on Jamie Oliver’s Oliver Twist program. 

Ingredients: 

• Mince lamb
• Mince pork
• Mince chicken
• Diced bacon
• 2 can of tinned tomatoes
• Fresh rosemary, chopped finely
• Dried oregano
• Mixed herbs
• Onions
• 1 bottle of sun-dried tomatoes
• Salt & pepper
• Olive oil
• Spaghetti noodles
• Grated cheese

Method: 

• Mix all the mince meat together. Preheat the oven to 180C.
• Heat a big pan with olive oil. Stir fry the rosemary, oregano and mixed herbs till fragrant. Add diced bacon and fry till fragrant, followed by onions.
• Add in mince meat and stir fry till half cook. 
• Place sun-dried tomatoes in a food processor and puree it. 
• Add canned tomatoes to meat followed with sun-dried tomatoes. 
• Allow it to simmer for a while. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour sauce into casserole dish and bake in oven till sauce reduces and is not watery.
• Remove from oven and adjust taste if necessary.
• Bring a pot of water to boil with a pinch of salt. Add spaghetti and boil noodles. 
• Drain noodles in a colander, put it into a big bowl and add a dash of olive oil to it. Ladle one or two scoops of sauce and toss it with the noodles. This is to prevent the noodles from clumping up especially when you are not serving it immediately.
• When ready to serve, ladle noodles onto plate, top with sauce, grated cheese and cracked black pepper.