When you think of family food you think of dishes such as lasagna, toad in the hole, hotpot or spaghetti bolognese.
And now chef Jamie Oliver has shared his recipe for a family spaghetti bolognese topped with a fine grating of parmesan.
According to the chef’s website, it reads: “This is a great version of the classic Italian Bolognese – reliable, tasty and easy to put together. Brilliant for kids!”
Even better, it serves six people and takes two hours to prepare and cook.
Thankfully, the sauce for the bolognese makes enough so you can freeze it and use it for another day.
How to make Jamie Oliver’s Family spaghetti Bolognese recipe:
Ingredients
Three red onions
Two cloves of garlic
Three carrots
Three sticks of celery
Two sprigs of fresh rosemary
Two rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon or pancetta
olive oil
500g lean beef mince
One x 400g tin of quality chopped tomatoes
One tablespoon tomato purée
One tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or red wine vinegar
Three fresh bay leaves
One organic low-salt beef stock cube
500g dried spaghetti
40g Parmesan cheese, optional
Method
Firstly, on a chopping board, peel and finely chop the onions, garlic and carrots. Then you will need to trim and finely chop the celery.
Next, pick and finely chop the rosemary leaves, then finely slice the bacon or pancetta.
Put a saucepan on a medium-high heat and add one tablespoon of olive oil.
Then, add the bacon, rosemary, garlic and veg and cook this with the lid ajar for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it has softened and just turned a golden colour. Make sure to stir occasionally.
Stir in the mince, turn the heat up to high and let this cook for five to 10 minutes, or until browned all over. Again make to stir this and break it up with a spoon as you go. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, vinegar and bay leaves.
Then you will need to fill and boil the kettle. Crumble in the stock cube and pour in 400ml boiling water. Stir this well, turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil.
Season with pepper, reduce to a low heat, then cover and simmer for around one hour, make sure to stir this occasionally.
Remove the lid and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it has thickened and reduced. Meanwhile, you will need to re-fill and boil the kettle again.
Carefully fill a large pot three-quarters of the way up with boiling water, add a tiny pinch of salt and bring back to the boil.
Add the spaghetti and cook according to packet instructions – you want to cook your pasta until it is al dente. This translates as ‘to the tooth’ and means that it should be soft enough to eat, but still have a bit of a bite and firmness to it.
Use the timings on the packet instructions as a guide, but try some just before the time is up to make sure it’s perfectly cooked.
Then finely grate the Parmesan cheese onto a clean chopping board.
Once the spaghetti is done, ladle out and reserve a cup of cooking water and keep it to one side, then drain in a colander over the sink.
Taste the bolognese sauce and season with a little more pepper or vinegar, if you think it needs it.
Carefully pick out and discard the bay leaves. Put half the sauce into a container, leave to cool, then freeze for another day.
Stir the spaghetti into the remaining sauce, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen but only if it is needed. Divide between bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (if using), then serve.
