Slow Cooked Best-Ever Bolognese Sauce

Serves 6

Prep and Cooking time 10 hours 40mins

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

125g prosciutto, finely chopped

2 medium brown onions (300g), finely chopped

1 large carrot (180g), finely chopped

2 stalks of celery (300g), trimmed & finely chopped

3 garlic cloves chopped

500g minced (ground) beef or veal

500g minced (ground) pork

250ml dry red wine (1 cup)

375ml (1 ½ cups) beef stock

70g (1/4 cup) tomato paste

1kg ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped coarsely

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano

Method

1. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan; cook prosciutto, stirring until crisp.  Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic; cook stirring until the vegetables soften.  Transfer to 4.5 litre slow cooker.

2.  Heat the remaining oil in the same pan; cook the mince, stirring until browned.  Add wine; bring to the boil.  Stir mince mixture into the slow cooker with stock, paste and tomatoes; cooked covered on low for 10 hours.

3.  Stir in herbs; cook, covered on high for 10 minutes and season to taste.

4. Serve with spaghetti or your favourite pasta and top with shaved parmesan cheese.

Cook’s tips

v  Suitable to freeze at the end of step 2.

v  Prosciutto can be replaced with bacon.

v  Fresh tomatoes can be replaced with 800g tin of chopped tomatoes.