Mark’s Ragu for Pasta

Ingredients for 6-8:

  • 1lb Minced Beef
  • 1lb Minced Pork
  • ½ lb Smoked Streaky Bacon – cut into 1/4 inch strips
  • 1 Large Onion – Finely Chopped
  • 2 Sticks of Celery – Finely Chopped
  • 1 Large Carrot – Finely Chopped
  • 2 Tsp Pesto
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • Handful of Chopped Fresh Oregano (or Marjoram)
  • Handful of Chopped Fresh Parsley
  • Olive Oil
  • 3 Cloves of Garlic – Finely Chopped
  • 2 Tins of Chopped Plum Tomatoes
  • 1 Jar of Passatta
  • Salt Freshly Ground Pepper

Method

Put enough oil into a large lidded saucepan to cover the bottom and start to heat on a medium to high heat, add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic and bacon and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the Pork and Beef and cook for about 10 minutes or until the meat has browned stirring constantly, salt and pepper to taste. Add the pesto and cook for 2 mins stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes, the passatta and cook for about 5 mins stirring constantly. Add the herbs reserving about half of the parsley stir in and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Simmer for about an hour or until the liquid has reduced to a sauce stirring every 15 minutes or so.

Serve with your favourite pasta (mine is spaghetti) and sprinkled with the rest of the parsley and lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese. Because of the addition of the Pork this sauce has a lighter flavour, if you prefer it stronger substitute the pork for beef.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *