Classic Spaghetti Bolognese

This is my Dads original recipe that I have tweaked for speed and taste over the years, while maintaining the integrity of the original dish. This spag bol is quick to prepare and gets better the longer it simmers.

Preparation time :15-20 mins
Cooking time: 30-45 mins

You will need...

500g beef mince, preferably a little fatty (10%)
1 large red onion
Fresh thyme
Fresh Oregano
2 tins of tinned tomato (plum, chopped)
2-3 cloves garlic
1 packet of spaghetti
Tomato Paste
Parmeasan
Salt
Pepper
Worcestershire sauce
Tobasco
Dash of red wine if available
Olive oil - extra virgin
Butter - a couple of knobs of...

Garlic bread to serve
Nice Shiraz to serve

Chop the red onion and garlic finely with a nice sharp knife. I like to smash the garlic with the flat of the knife first to help pulp it and release its lovely oils.
Get all the ingredients out for quick access and to ensure you have all you need.
Pick the oregano and thyme and rip it up a little. Remove the woody stalks from the thyme.

Put a large knob of butter in the frying pan and heat it on a medium heat.
Add the onion, stir the butter through it and add the garlic, stir in well.
Now reduce the heat and allow the onion and garlic to poach in the butter until the onion goes soft and slightly transparent. At this stage add half the Thyme and Oregano and then add a little salt and pepper.
Stir this through, it should start to become fragrant.

Turn the heat up to high and when the onion sizzles loudly add the beef mince (or vege alternative) and break up with the spatula.
Keep stirring until the mince is almost all brown and in small pieces.

Add in the tins of chopped tomatoes and stir in. Then add a big healthy squirt of tomato paste (1 tablespoon ish), the worchestershire sauce (two squirts), a dash of red wine and a dash of tobasco and stir these in too. Add a little olive oil to help with the flavor.

Allow the dish to simmer for 10-15 mins on a low heat, stirring occasionally.

Boil a large pan of water, add olive oil and salt (a few pinches).
When it boils, throw in the spaghetti, I like to break it in half for ease of fit, even cooking and lazy eating.

The spaghetti will take 12 minutes ish.

Throw the rest of the Thyme and Oregano into the bolognese sauce and stir in.

When the pasta is cooked to your liking, drain and add a large knob of butter, serve onto the plates.

Then add a couple of large scoups of sauce onto of the spaghetti, grate parmeasan over the top and eat with some good company and a nice shiraz.

Enjoy!


PS: sorry about the poor photos... image resizer broke them :(