Italian bolognese

Rich, warming and just darn good - by Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

600g beef mince

600g pork mince

1 cup red wine

1/2 cup tomato paste

250ml chicken stock

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 sticks celery, finely chopped

1 carrot, diced into 1cm cubes

400g can chopped tomatoes

1 Tbsp brown sugar

6 basil leaves, torn

1 fresh bay leaf

1 rind of parmesan wedge (see cook’s tip, below)

Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground

black pepper, to season

Cooked spaghetti, to serve

Shaved parmesan, to serve

Tip:

Don’t toss the rind of your parmesan! It’s edible and tasty. Instead, put it in a zip-lock bag and save for your next bolognese. As the sauce cooks, the rind softens and releases flavour. Lucky is the person who finds it in their serve!

Method

Heat oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add all mince and cook, stirring every 2 minutes, for 8 minutes or until mince is no longer red. Stir in wine and tomato paste, then bring to the boil. Cook for 5 minutes or until wine has reduced by half.
Transfer to the bowl of a 5L slow cooker and place in appliance. Stir in stocks, vegetables, sugar, herbs and parmesan rind. Cover with lid and cook on low setting for 9 hours. Season.
Transfer bolognese to a pot and serve family-style on spaghetti. Top with parmesan.