Food!

I am known for many things. Oi, come on.. One of those things is my rambunctious ragù.

It makes a regular Spaghetti Bolognese into something that little bit more - PIOW! 

It also makes a regular Lasagne into a rich and exuberant Lasagne, and that little bit more special.

This recipe is adapted to suit the needs of my other half Paul, who doesn't like "bits" i.e lumps of onion, celery, tomato, carrot. Pretty much any vegetable. As a result, this recipe has very little prep time.

Don't be put off by this, the flavour still packs a punch.

Ingredients - low fat version.

Feeds 4 (or 2 hungry bums)

500g Extra Lean steak mince.

2 tbsp Olive oil.

500g Tomato Passata.

1 heaped tbsp Tomato Purée.

5 fat Garlic cloves - crushed.

2 Beef stock cubes.

100ml White Wine.

3 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce.

1 tsp Garlic powder.

1 tsp Onion granules.

1 tbsp Smoked Paprika.

1 tsp dried Oregano (or 1 tbsp fresh).

1 Bay Leaf. 

Salt & Black pepper.

That's a well used frying pan. Heat on full whack, add the mince when the oil reaches smoking point.

The amount of liquid that comes out of the mince will depend on the type of mince you use. Keep breaking the mince up. Then add the smoked paprika, onion granules, garlic powder, and half the garlic. Season!

Keep frying! When the liquid has almost gone and the mince has some good colour, add a stock cube and fry for 2 more minutes.

The reason behind the heat at full whack is to achieve the most colour on the mince and this crust at the bottom of the pan! (If it's going black, then you're not stirring enough)

When all the liquid has evaporated, and the mince has a good colour - before the bottom of the pan burns, in goes the wine and Worcestershire sauce to de-glaze the bottom of that pan. Scrape!

 In goes the passata, tomato purée, the rest of the garlic, stock cube, the bay leaf and oregano. Black pepper that beast! The salt content in the stock cubes should mean you don't have to add any salt. Keep tasting along the way.

Simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring intermittently. Then reduce to desired thickness.

Serve with Spaghetti, Linguine or Tagliatelle and drown it in cheese.

Stuff your face.

(Lasagne coming soon)