How to make Spaghetti Bolognese meat sauce

This Halal version of Bolognese meat sauce  recipe is great for making in large quantities and freezing. You can make up to 20 times the recipe and frozen in four-cup (1 litre) servings for your family to enjoy the pasta sauce over and over without having to start from scratch each time. If making bulk recipes, be sure to simmer for hours, or even a full day, occasionally stirring up from the bottom of the large pot to ensure the contents at the bottom does not burn, adding stock as needed to keep the right consistency. The goal is to have the flavours mix and make the home smell delicious!

Ingredients for Bolognese meat sauce:

• ¼ lb (125 g) turkey ham or bacon, cut into cubes
• 1 lb. (450 g) beef lean or medium ground
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
• 1 cup (225 ml) coarsely chopped onion
• ¼ cup (50 ml) coarsely chopped celery
• ¼ cup (50 ml) coarsely chopped carrot
• ¼ cup (50 ml) coarsely chopped fennel bulb, if available
• ¼ cup (50 ml) butter
• 1 cup (225 ml) canned plum tomato
• ½ cup (125 ml) grape juice (substitution for red wine)
• 2 cups (500 ml) beef stock (preferably fresh, but canned beef stock will do)
• ¼ cup (50 ml) tomato paste
• 1 strip of lemon rind
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lb. (450 g) spaghetti pasta
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese for garnish, preferably freshly grated Reggiano Parmesan
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Method:

1. Mix the coarsely chopped onion, carrot, celery and fennel (optional) together and finely chop them (this is called a battuto in Italian, or a finely chopped mixture of vegetables and herbs to flavour a dish)
2. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat and add the battuto
3. Cook, stirring occasionally until very lightly browned
4. Add this mixture to a heavy pot
5. Heat the olive oil in the skillet the battuto was browned in and when the oil is hot, add the beef and stir to break up lumps, cooking until well browned
6. Add to the battuto in the pot
7. Add the grape juice to the skillet the beef was in and stir on high heat, scraping any brown bits stuck to the pan
8. Add the tomato paste and stock and stir until well mixed and add this mixture to the pot
9. Drain and coarsely chop the plum tomatoes and add them to the pot
10. Add the bay leaf and lemon rind
11. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, with bubbles barely breaking the surface
12. Simmer, stirring occasionally for an hour (or more), until thick
13. Add pepper to taste, and salt if necessary to taste

Pasta Spaghetti:

1. When the sauce is ready, bring a gallon (4 litres) of water to a full boil over high heat in a large potAdd the pasta, give it a brisk stir to ensure it is all covered by water and not clumped together. Cook for about 10-12 minutes, or until al dente (firm but not hard, there should still be a bit of 'bite' when chewing pasta, rather than soggy and mushy)
2. Drain the pasta well and serve immediately
3. Remove the bay leaf and lemon rind, then spoon the Bolognese sauce over the pasta and have guests garnish with the grated Parmesan cheese.

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Credit: Cookbook