It's World Pasta Day and to celebrate Gino cooks us a favourite Italian sauce.
Ingredients
500g fresh fettuccine or tagliatelle
500g minced beef
500g minced pork
4 tbsp of olive oil
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 x 700ml bottle of passata (sieved tomatoes)
2 tbsp of tomato puree
2 glasses of dry red wine
200ml of chicken stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the onions, carrot and celery for 5 minutes on a medium heat. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.
2. Add in the minced meats and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring continuously until coloured all over. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour in the wine, stir well and continue to cook for 5 minutes until the wine has evaporated.
4. Pour in the sieved tomatoes with the tomato puree and the stock, lower the heat and cook for 2 hours with the lid off. Stir the sauce every 20 minutes.
5. Once the sauce is ready, remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
6. In a large saucepan, cook the pasta in the salted boiling water until al dente.
7. Drain and tip back into the same pan where you cooked it.
8. Place the saucepan back on a low heat, pour over the bolognese sauce and gently stir all together for 30 seconds allowing the flavours to combine properly.
9. Serve hot with a little grated parmesan cheese on top.
Top tip: To get the al dente perfect bite, cook the pasta 1 minute less then instructed on the packet.
Did you know?
*According to a study of British food habits by Food Network UK, curry has been knocked off the top spot with over 50 per cent of people claiming they eat Italian food more than any other cuisine.
*Four in ten Brits believe Britain invented spaghetti bolognese.
*40 per cent of Brits say that Italian cuisine is the style of cooking they turn to when they want a romantic meal.
*One in ten Brits have cooked Italian for a marriage proposal.