Spaghetti bolognese

Caroline Marson: Food writer

This recipe is quick and makes enough for a family meal today and one for the freezer. Simply omit the mushrooms if your children dislike them. Can be served with cooked broccoli, scattered with pumpkin seeds.

Ingredients: serves 8 - 10

900 g minced beef
8 tbsp tomato puree
2 tsp mixed herbs (dried)
3 onions (peeled and chopped)
4 carrots (peeled and chopped)
1.2 litres stock (or water)
3 red peppers (chopped finely)
350 g button mushrooms (sliced)
300 g spaghetti
cheese (leftover)

Method:

Dry fry the mince in a large saucepan until brown. Add the tomato puree and herbs.
Cook over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes, then add the onion and carrot, water or stock and simmer until the meat is almost cooked, about 20-30 minutes.
Add the peppers and mushrooms and cook for a further 10 minutes. Season well.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in boiling water for about 15 minutes, drain and add the spaghetti to the meat sauce which stops it from going sticky, mix well together.

To serve:

Serve the spaghetti in bowls topped with grated cheese.

Recipe tips:

Leftover tip: Use any hard leftover cheese from the fridge that needs using up. Most cheese will do. Freeze ahead tip: This meat sauce is a good recipe to freeze and use with Golden Shepherds pie later or in portions for serving with pasta. Wrap up well, label and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly, then return to a saucepan and reheat gently, bubble for 10 minutes and cook as above from step 2.