Ingredients
4 tablespoons of olive oil
6 smoked bacon rashers, chopped
4 onions, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
4 celery sticks, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons of dried mixed herbs
2 bay leaves
500g sliced mushrooms
1½ kg lean minced beef (or use half beef, half pork mince)
6 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes
6 tablespoons of tomato purée
Large glass of red wine (optional)
4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of sugar
Parmesan to serve
Method
STEP 1
Heat the four tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan. Gently cook the chopped bacon, onions, carrots, and celery for 20 minutes until golden. Add the crushed garlic cloves, dried mixed herbs, bay leaves, and sliced mushrooms, then cook for 2 minutes more.
STEP 2
Heat a large frying pan over high heat. Crumble in just enough of the minced beef to cover the pan, cook until brown, then use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan and transfer it to the saucepan. Continue frying the minced beef in batches until used up. Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato purée to the saucepan with the minced beef and vegetables. Rinse the cans out with red wine,if you have some or with a little water, and then add to the pan along with the red wine vinegar and sugar. Season generously with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Simmer slowly for 1 hour until thick and saucy, and the minced beef is tender. Serve with pasta and parmesan cheese.
STEP 3
If you want to make this in a slow cooker, check out our slow cooker bolognese recipe.