So we all know that like Balti and Santa this doesn't really exist. So what, it tastes great. The problem is that people too often jazz it up with veg and forget that veg is 90%+ made of water. So then you add salt to compensate and try to drain it etc. Another problem is not enough liquid because you don't like it runny. Both these things are a drag and require some attention but are not a major issue. The problem is, everyone thinks they can cook a spag-bol and they turn up some flavorless shit. Why? Lack of caring, time, thought, prep, eyesight, smell, taste. Just care for it because even though it is a cliched dish, like Joan Armatrading it needs love and attention.
Now this meat sauce I normally do in a pressure cooker because I like to (and it takes 20 minutes!). But you can do it in a heavy duty casserole pan, a Le Creuset pot, or even just a pan pan (but it might burn and be ugly as sin by the end). Don't use a pan, pan. Get the most thick bottomed, heavy duty one you have.
This serves 4. Let's discuss the ingredients.
750g Minced beef (though some use lamb - why??). I use the extra lean because if I wanted it to be totally dominated by beef flavour, I'd probably use leftovers of roast beef. Now there's an idea! Actually I have done this kind of as some Italian restaurants use the stringy shin of beef and it is seriously good. I once used diced roast beef that I browned off and it was superfine!!!
Mince comes in various cuts. Shit, pretty shit, not so shit, lean and extra lean. Then you have steak mince. If you want some nice food without a cloying fat that will hang behind your tongue for 3 days, use extra lean steak mince. If you get basic mince, when you come to brown it off, you will notice it swimming in a pool of liquid. It is pure fat and not that good stuff.
2 sticks Celery. If you don't like celery piss off. I don't care. For those people who do (and those who don't), it adds a natural saltiness to the sauce that salt doesn't have. It is like salt with body. Wash and finely slice.
75-100g Bacon or pancetta. Diced small and fried with all the fat.
Tomatoes. 2 tins of chopped. If you want a smoother sauce use a large jar of passata.
Red wine. 1 large glass. Stuff you would drink not chuck around.
2 medium or 1 large red onion. Diced small.
2 large cloves of garlic sliced or crushed. If you don't like garlic go to KFC.
A carrot. Finely diced.
If you want to add mushrooms, peppers and anything else, remember that they will bulk it but seriously water it down. If you are making it a day in advance, and it does taste twice as good on the second day, then this is fine. If you are eating it same day, stay away from extra veg.
Sprig of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
Sea salt and black pepper
1/2 cup good beef stock, or if you are a veggie, a teaspoon of Marmite.
25g unsalted butter.
What to do:
First put a teaspoon of olive oil in your heavy pan. Then fry the bacon/pancetta over a medium/high heat. Keep stirring as you want all the fat to cook out and bubble in the pan. (I hate it too when uncooked bacon fat turns up in a pasta sauce). When everything is deep red (meat) or deep gold (fat), chuck in the butter and melt quickly, then add all the onions and carrot.
Sweat the onions/carrot down for 3-4 minutes. If the onions start to look like they might burn, add a pinch of salt to stop them burning then add the garlic and meat. Brown the meat off and break it all up. It will go greyish brown and become quite small and fine in the pan. When this is done, add the wine, salt, pepper, herbs and bay. Pour in the stock and cook down for 5 more mins. Then add the tomatoes or passata and stir properly.
Cover and simmer for an hour. During the hour, see how much liquid is in the pan. If you need more, top up with beef stock or hot water. If you need less, remove lid and turn up the heat for 10 minutes. If you could cook this at lunchtime and leave it til dinner, it would be at least 30% better. It needs to sit and just be for a while. This is what makes it so good, so comforting, so homely. It is what makes you think "yes I can cook!". Also, it is a good reason to drink 3/4 of a good bottle of red wine.
Optional.
A lot of people like parmesan cheese with it. I do too but I prefer an extra mature cheddar grated over the top. The salt and crumbly texture of the cheese softens but adds body to the sauce that you didn't think you could find.
Some people like to add 25ml of double cream when it is finished cooking. It is interesting and truly rich but I don't really enjoy it that much.
Have it with pasta, baked potato, or even on toast and it is great. Really great.
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