There are many recipes out there for Bolognese sauce, and we all have our own favorite. There are master combinations of pork/veal/beef mince, blend of vegetables to make a killer sofritto, cooking time that goes on for hours and hours… which produces divine results. But for all those times where we just want to prepare a simple meal that’s loved by all, with the same heartwarming effect but half the work, I’ve put this recipe together for you… with a little secret ingredient that really lifts the flavours.

Ingredients:
450g Beef mince
1 jar Barilla Arrabiata sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 brown onion, finely diced
1/2 bunch sage, roughly chopped
1 packet of mushrooms, sliced
1/4 Organic butternut squash, grated
1 packet Barilla Integrale spaghetti n.5
1/2 bottle of good red wine
Parmigiano Reggiano to serve

We want to start of by softening the garlic and onions with a good amount of olive oil in a saucepan. When the onion turns clear and the aroma starts to rise, tear the sage leaves into the hot oil and let the perfume infuse into the oil.

Pour in the mince and brown the meat in the saucepan, making sure everything is cooked through and there are no lumps. Add in the mushrooms along with a little extra drizzle of olive oil, stir it through, and then tip the entire jar of Arrabiata sauce in. I chose the arrabiata because of the extra heat from the chilli’s, and also reduces overall cooking time. And now for the fun part, empty just under half a bottle of red wine into the saucepan – and saving the other half for dinner time.

It’s time to add the secret ingredient. Grate a few slices of a butternut squash with a microplane and add it to the sauce. The sweetness of the butternut really adds to the flavour of the sauce and I’ve always been reluctant to add sugar to cooking. It will all melt into the sauce, and you won’t actually taste the butternut, but only the rich sweetness that is left behind.

Give it a good stir, cover and simmer on low heat for one hour. During that hour, I’ve always found that it’s a great time to work out, because there’s a lot of carbs coming your way!

After an hour, the sauce would have reduced into a much thicker consistency. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions. I chose a semolina flour Spaghetti n5 and cook it just 2 minutes under the instructions for a good al dente texture. This is something that was taught to me by Chef Massimo Bianchi, you have to account for the time when you stir the pasta into the saucepan because it continues to cook.

Stir the pasta into the sauce, grate some parmigiano reggiano to serve and bon apetito!

Like my post? Spread it like butter!