Recipe | Bolognaise with a twist

Those who know me well, know that there are three little boys, well not so little any more, with two of them towering over me now, who have my heart and light up my life. My darling, darling, darling nephews. For the past 17 years, feeding them alongside their incredible parents has been one of my auntie life’s true joys. Nothing quite like a toddler asking for more of what you’ve made when most of it really is all over their face. Honestly, this is the highest praise.

It was my own mother, Denise, who started this bolognaise craze, when my sisters and I were little. It appeared on our tables twice a month for dinner, always, always served with a salad on the side. My mother is seriously into a salad with every meal. Eat your greens has been a lifestyle from when I was little.

So when tasked with helping prep dinner for my first nephew when he was little, bolognaise was on the list for sure. I am not aware of any Italian blood running through my veins, but I am every grateful for this dish that brings delight the world over. The boys’ mother, my dearest Les, always says that you know I love you, if I make you bolognaise. Insert awkward side eye from all those I’ve cooked for and no bolognaise has been served. The boys always ask why my bolognaise is so different and we always say to them that love is the main ingredient and, well, time. We prioritise and make time for those we love, for sure. Making food for those I love it one of my sincerest forms of connection.

I’ve loved learning about food and as my interest in the origin of dishes deepens, it’s so great to add my curiosity to how I cook, but also an ode to the ways of old. I add celery now, well, over the past few years, since I learnt about it. I add the garlic a bit later in the cooking process too now, so that it doesn’t burn and I deseed half my tomatoes and chop the rest with seeds. I say the Italian word “sofrito” (the lightly frying of celery, carrot, onion, as a base for the bolognaise and other stews). It may really be an additional ingredient, I say it with such gusto. Cooking with flair and accents is a major highlight in my life.

I mean most Italians may faint at some of the SA quirks that appear in this dish, but they should not be alarmed, I am not disrespecting the dish by any combination of ingredients that should not be fused together. This dish is much like that made by many nonnas and mamas in Italy, and the world over, a steaming plate of warmth, heart, nostalgia and really just the simple joys of family in a bowl. Much like family, when simple ingredients come together, sprinkled with lots of love and given time to simmer, deep, rich flavour and soul is guaranteed.

The other key ingredient in this dish is surely time. People balk when I say I let it simmer for a minimum of five hours (gas stoves are a blessing). The time is really the thing and good quality mince. I use beef mince only, not the mixture of mince as the original recipes go. Please no lean mince, what is that even?

Pasta and a beautiful, flavoursome sauce, how could we go wrong? The boys now eat like they’re being paid to, as teens, so I use far more pasta than before. We now are heading into about three packets of wholewheat Fattis & Monis (SA’s favourite pasta brand, but don’t quote me) spaghetti. That’s like one packet each, but T does what she needs to feed her faves.

So when this is out, and they read this, I’d better get my big blue pot ready to rock this ragu for my beautiful, precious boys (and may it taste as good as the alliteration I’ve just rocked above).

Ingredients:

• 1kg beef mince (no extra lean, please)
• 3 x carrots — peeled and chopped into small pieces
• 3 x celery stalks — finely chopped
• 1 x red onion (because years ago, my best friend’s mother, Kim, said it’s best) — chopped finely
• 4 x whole cloves of garlic — finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to deglaze the pan
• 3 teaspoons of brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 good knob of butter
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon of turmeric
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• ¼ teaspoon dried ginger
• 1 quick sprinkle of ground nutmeg
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sage leaves — finely chopped
• 8 x whole rosa tomatoes — deseed 4 and chop into smallish piece, chop up the other 4
• Fattis & Monis (this is not sponsored) wholewheat spaghetti
• 3 tablespoons All Gold tomato sauce (again, not sponsored)
• 5l water or however much covers
• Salt and pepper

Method:

• Heat a pan on medium heat, once heated plop the butter in and let it melt, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Drop in the bay leaf, sage, thyme and rosemary and stir through
• Gently fry the onion for 3 minutes, then add the celery and carrots and fry down until onions are translucent
• Pour in the apple cider vinegar to deglaze the pan and stir it through, until absorbed
• Add all the spices and stir through
• Add the garlic and stir for 2 minutes
• Then place the beef in the pan to brown, chopping it down with the short end of the spoon to break it up
• Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the meat
• Next pour in all the chopped tomatoes
• Sprinkle the sugar over the tomatoes
• Pour in the tomato paste
• Cover with water and bring to the boil
• Then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 hour. (I’ll make allowance for 3 in compelling circumstances)
• 30 minutes before it is ready, boil spaghetti in salted water until just before al dente
• Once cooked pour into the pot with the bolognaise sauce and add the All Gold Tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Then check for flavour and serve, sprinkled with some fresh basil, chopped and some pecorino or Parmesan.
• Enjoy!