My Basic Bolognese

An oldie but an absolute brilliant and delicious sauce to get good at making. I say basic...its anything but basic when it come to taste and goodness.

Enjoy as spaghetti bolognese, pile into a crispy baked spud, top on tacos or nachos, layer into a lasagne or moussaka or just enjoy a bowl of this with some crusty bread.

As you get confident, make this your own. Other veggies that are great - grated sweet potato, carrots, celery and finely chopped aubergines.

What you will need:

2/3 red or white onions, finely chopped

5/6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or grated

2 to 3 big handfuls of mushrooms, finely chopped or grated

2 tsp of oregano or mixed herbs

6 Bay leaves

2 cans of lentils, drained and rinsed

1 large bottle of passata (or 3 tins of tomatoes)

2 tbsp of tomato puree

2 tbsp tamari (soy sauce)

Olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Optional extra veggies - 4 carrots finely chopped or grated , a sweet potato or grated or Aubergine chopped and popped in the pan until soft and gooey.

Let's cook :

Pre-heat the oven to 170c / 350f / gas mark 4.

1. Place a large casserole dish or pan on a medium heat and pour in a good glug of olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and allow them to gently sizzle in the oil for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring regularly.

2. Add the mushrooms and herbs to the pot, mix everything together and continue to cook the mixture for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables begin to soften. (If using any extra veggies now is the time to add them).

3. Add the lentils, tomato puree, passata (or tinned tomatoes) and add some water to the bottle give it a shake to use up all the tomato sauce. Add the tamari along with some pepper then mix everything together thoroughly.

4. Bring the sauce to the boil then reduce to a simmer before covering with a lid. You can leave this on low on the hob or transfer to the oven. Allow the sauce to cook for at least one hour, checking it once or twice to see if a little extra water needs adding. Cooking the sauce in the oven like this will allow it to intensify, reduce and darken in colour, creating a delicious, rich sauce.

Double the recipe and get a stash portioned up in the freezer - this will save you so much time and you will have this lovely sauce ready when you need it.

Enjoy

Kelly x