Recipe: Bolognaise Sauce

two characterful baby round carrots

Phew!... How did everyone survive yesterday? The mercury soared to just above 40 degrees celsius in Sydney. Quite unprecedented for November. Doesn't augur well for summer does it?

Surprisingly the balcony plants didn't seem to fair too badly. I gave them a good soaking early in the morning and other than a few yellow leaves no signs of heat distress or sunburn (unlike a few Syndey-siders who crazily spent the day at the beach!)

Looking at the ripening herbs and vegies I thought I'd throw together a bolognaise sauce. I'm working interstate this week so at least the hubby will be well-fed while I'm away. Feed the man meat I say!

Scanning the edible balcony garden I realised I had most of the fresh ingredients for a bolognaise sauce

carrots, tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, parsley and basil

Tomato envy: Don't worry Mr Carrot it's how you taste that counts

The rest of the ingredients came fom the pantry and butcher - pork and veal mince, some smoked speck, tomato passata, tinned tomatoes, onions, garlic and some olive oil

Recipe:

1 large brown onion, finely chopped

50g of smoked speck or bacon, chopped into lardons

3 large cloves of organic garlic, chopped

2 carrots, diced

1 tin of tomatoes or two chopped fresh tomatoes

2 bottles of tomato passata

1/4 cup chopped thyme, rosemary, parsley, basil

500g pork mince

500g veal mince

5 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper and a little sugar to taste

Directions:

Pour olive oil into a casserole pot and put on medium to low heat. Add onions, carrots and speck and fry for about 5 minutes until onion is translucent and speck is crispy. Add chopped garlic and fry until fragrant. Add mince meats and turn up the heat to brown well all over. Add tinned tomato, passata and herbs and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper and maybe some pepperoncini if you like a bit of a chilli hit. Turn the heat down to a gentle bubble and leave for two hours to gently transform into a thick, rich meaty sauce.

Into the casserole pot and two hours later an alchemist's dream

Some egg pasta and some parmesan shavings....

...... and one very happy husband....