Ingredients
- 50 g (1 3/4 oz) salted butter
- 180 g (6 1/4 oz) thick bacon slices or speck, finely chopped
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 400 g (14 oz) lean minced (ground) beef
- 670 ml beef stock
- 250 g (9 oz) tinned chopped tomatoes
- 125 ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) dry red wine
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) pasta
- grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Method
1. Heat half the butter in a heavy-based frying pan. Add the bacon and cook until golden. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook over low heat for 8 minutes, stirring often.
2. Increase the heat, add the remaining butter and, when the pan is hot, add the beef. Break up any lumps with a wooden spoon and stir until brown. Add the beef stock, tomato, wine, nutmeg and season to taste.
3. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, over very low heat for 2-5 hours, adding more stock if the sauce becomes too dry. The longer the sauce is cooked, the more flavour it will have.
4. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well and serve with the sauce and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
