Serves: 6 people
Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
55g/2oz streaky bacon, diced
120ml/4fl oz good olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 stick celery, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed with a little salt
1 tsp soft fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried oregano
400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato purée
1½ tsp anchovy essence
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
900g/2lb minced beef
110g/4oz fresh chicken livers, finely chopped
750ml/1¼ pints dry red wine
1 litre/1¾ pint chicken, beef or lamb stock
450g/1lb dried spaghetti
salt and ground black pepper
Method:
- In a large, heavy-based pan, fry the bacon in 2 tbsp of the olive oil.
When the bacon is crispy and has released some natural fats, add the onion,
celery, carrot, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and oregano and cook over a medium
heat until the vegetables have softened and taken on a little colour.
- Add the canned tomatoes, the tomato purée, anchovy essence and
Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.
- Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat another 2 tbsp of the olive
oil and fry the mince in small batches until browned. While the meat is
frying, break up any lumps with the back of a wooden spoon. Repeat until
all the mince is browned. Drain off any fat and add to the tomato mixture.
- Add 2 tbsp of the oil to the same frying pan, fry the chicken livers
until brown and crusty and add the livers to the meat. Deglaze the frying
pan with some of the red wine, scraping any crusty bits from the bottom.
Pour this wine, the remaining wine and the stock into the tomato and meat
mixture. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring from
time to time, for about 2 hours. Season to taste. If the liquid reduces
too much, top up with water. When the meat is tender allow to cool, then
chill.
- When cold, lift off the solidified fat and discard.
- Cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling water with the remaining olive
oil and heat the sauce. When the pasta is cooked and the sauce heated
through, divide the pasta among six dishes and serve the sauce on top.