GOOD OLD "NEW" BOLOGNAISE SAUCE

I first started cooking when I was a poor art student in the UK in the Swinging 60s. Sharing an old rundown house with five lazy blokes meant that somehow I was always the one who ended up providing meals, otherwise we would have been poor, STARVING students. Spaghetti Bolognaise was something we could afford and I soon mastered it. Or so I thought. Fast forward 50-odd years. Last week I went to buy some beef mince as always from my local "butcher" (in quotes because when I asked for beef mince, he answered "out of stock" despite the fact that there was perfectly good topside sitting there begging to be minced. So I thought...well never mind what I thought... I'll buy packaged fresh pork mince instead. That's when I discovered that using pork added extraordinary depth and a more robust flavour to my old standby. I made it again this morning and added chicken mince and slices of cooked chorizo sausage too. And here it is. Rich, luscious and deeply satisfying. Add to your favourite al dente pasta et ecco!

Hah!! Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks??!!

INGREDIENTS

(makes a lot)

3 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, chopped finely

4 cloves garlic, chopped finely

3 or 4 sticks celery, chopped finely

1 capsicum (pepper), chopped finely

1 or two carrots chopped finely

(PS I just put all the above into my food processor until everything was chopped finely)

400g minced chicken

350g minced pork

2 cooked chorizo sausages, sliced

350g passata

400g tin smooshed tomatoes

350g any good quality Made in Italy pasta sauce

PS The above brands are just an indication and what's available here in Malaysia. Substitute your favourites by all means.)

handful chopped parsley or torn basil leaves

sea salt and pepper to taste

cayenne pepper to taste (optional)

METHOD

1. Slosh the olive oil into a large heavy saucepan (I used my 50-year old Le Creuset)

and heat up.

2. Add all the finely chopped veggies and cook for a few minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until softened.

3. Push the veggies to one side and add the chicken. Cook until browned a little.

4. Do the same thing with the pork.

5. Add the sliced cooked chorizo sausages.

6. Add the passata, crushed tomatoes and ready made pasta sauce.

7. Simmer for a couple of hours, adding sloshes of water every now and then to keep it from burning.

(The longer you cook it, the more flavour it will have.)

8. Add the chopped parsley or fresh basil.

9. Add your seasoning to taste.

10. Serve over cooked spaghetti, linguine, penne or whatever your favourite pasta is.

11. Grate some Parmigiana Reggiano over the top for a true Italian experience.

Leftover sauce can be stored in the fridge for a few days or frozen until you need this comfort food again.