ITALIAN PASTA MEDLEY

 Ingredients: 

500 grams of good quality minced beef

half a red onion and half a white onion, peeled and chopped

two large carrots, peeled and chopped small

two sticks of celery, washed, and chopped in small chunks

8 mushrooms wiped clean and sliced into small pieces

A glug of olive oil for sauteing

Tomato puree

A tin of chopped tomatoes

A tablespoonful of dried oregano

4 dried bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

A dash of tabasco chilli sauce

A dash of Worcestershire sauce

A jar of Lloyd Grossman puttanesca pasta sauce

Method:

In a large frying pan (with lid), put in the olive oil, heat a little before adding the onions, carrots and celery.  Saute for 5 minutes.  Then add the minced beef, breaking up any clumps of meat.  Fry some tomato puree with the oil and meat.  Add hot water from the kettle and cook for 20 minutes on high.  Turn down to a simmer and add the mushrooms, tinned tomatoes, salt and pepper, oregano, bay leaves, tabasco and Worcestershire sauce.  Finally add the Puttanesca sauce and leave to simmer for at least 20 minutes, but if you have the time, 30 is better.

 

For the pasta, I used Pastificio Extra di Lusso from our local Italian deli in London.   It cooks in 11 minutes but because we aren't keen on al dente, I did 14 minutes and it was just perfect for us.  I imagine 11 minutes would be OK for al dente.  I have a very large saucepan and filled it almost to the top with water, salt and a splash of olive oil.  I believe the olive oil is not the traditional way for Italians, but we like it.

I am English and usually rinse my cooked pasta in hot water, then add butter and black pepper, serving it separately from the meat.  However, this time, I decided to do the proper thing (my husband likes it) and add the pasta to the meat, with a little liquid to make it slightly starchy.  I wouldn't want it every time, but I was impressed.  It was very tasty, although I say so myself.